Experiments to show what capacitors do

Set up the circuit shown below.

When the "charge" switch is pressed, the voltmeter reading increases gradually as the capacitor "charges up".

The voltage stops increasing when it is equal to the voltage of the supply.

Start with the values given above but then try the circuit with different resistors and capacitors (discharge the capacitor between tests).

The circuit is in some ways similar to the situation shown in the diagram below.

In this situation the tap can be compared to the resistor and the bucket to the capacitor.

• Capacitors (also called condensers)
• Capacitors in d.c. and a.c. circuits

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