INDEX PAGE
NUMBER
INTRODUCTION
AIM
MATERIALS REQUIRED
THEORY
PROCEDURE
DIAGRAM
OBSERVATION
CALCULATIONS AND GRAPH
RESULT
CONCLUSION
BIBILOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION
An RC circuit is made up of a resistor (R) and a capacitor (C) connected
either in series or parallel. These circuits are widely used in electronics
for tasks like filtering, timing, and processing signals. The way the
circuit behaves is mainly determined by how the capacitor charges and
discharges over time, which is influenced by the time constant. RC
circuits play an essential role in analyzing how circuits respond to
changes and are important in applications like high-pass and low-pass
filters, oscillators, and many other electronic systems.A capacitor is a
passive electronic component that stores electrical energy in
an electricfield
CHARGING OF RC CIRCUIT:
The charging of an RC circuit is the process by which a capacitor
gradually accumulates electric charge when connected to a voltage
source through a resistor.
When the switch is closed, current flows through the resistor and charges
the capacitor plates. As charge builds up on the capacitor, the voltage
across it increases and the current in the circuit gradually decreases until
the capacitor becomes fully charged.
The formula of charging of a capacitor in a RC circuit is given by :-
Where V(t) is the voltage of capicator at time (t)
V 0= supply voltage
R= resistance
C= capacitance
RC = time constant of the circuit
DISCHARGING OF AN RC CIRCUIT :-
The discharging of an RC circuit is the process in which a previously
charged capacitor releases its stored electrical energy through a resistor
when the battery or power source is removed from the circuit.
When the switch is changed so that the capacitor is connected only to the
resistor, the charge stored on the capacitor plates begins to flow through
the resistor. As this happens, current flows in the circuit in the opposite
direction to the charging current. The charge and voltage on the
capacitor gradually decrease with time instead of dropping instantly.
During discharging:
At time t=0, the capacitor has maximum charge and voltage V 0.
As time passes, the charge, current, and voltage decrease
exponentially.
The rate of decrease depends on the time constant RC of the circuit.
After approximately 5RC, the capacitor becomes almost
completely discharged.
The formula for discharging of a RC circuit is given by
V(t) = V0 e-t/RC
AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT :-
To study the charging and discharging of a capacitor in a RC circuit by
observing how voltage across the capacitor changes over time
MATERIALS REQUIRED
1) Capacitor (100 µF or similar)
2) Resistor (1kΩ -10kΩ)
3) Battery OR DC power supply
4) Voltmeter OR multimeter
5) Switch
6) Connecting wires
7) Stopwatch
THEORY
A RC circuit is based on the transientresponse of a capacitor when
connected to a DC source through a resistor. The core principle is
that a capacitor does not charge or discharge instantaneously;
instead, its voltage changes over time according
to exponentiallaws.
1. The RC TIME CONSTANT ( τ)
The most important theoretical value is the time constant, defined
as:
τ=RxC
Significance: It determines the "speed" of the circuit.
Charging: In one (τ) ,the capacitor reaches 63.2% of the supply
voltage (Vs)
Discharging: In one (τ) ,the voltage drops to 36.8% of its initial
value (V0 )
SteadyState: After approximately 5τ ,the capacitor is considered
fully charged or discharged (reaching >99% of its final state).
2. CHARGING THEORY
When the switch is closed, current (I) flows to the capacitor plates,
creating an electric field.
Kirchhoff’sLaw:
q
Vs -IR- t = 0
VoltageEquation:
V(t) = Vs(1-et/-RC )
3. CURRENT BEHAVIOUR: At t =0 ,current is maximum (VsIR) .
As the capacitor Voltage (Vc) increases , it opposes the battery and
the current decreases exponentially to 0.
4. DISCAHRGING THEORY
When a charged capacitor is disconnected from the battery and
connected across a resistor, it acts as a temporary power source.
VoltageEquation:
V(t) = V0e-t/RC
CurrentBehavior: Current flows in the oppositedirection to
charging. It starts at a maximum (V0IR) and decays to zero as the
stored energy is dissipated as heat in the resistor.
5. TRANSIENT PERIOD (0<t<5τ)
This is the period of adjustment immediately after a switch is
flipped. The voltage and current are changing rapidly as energy is
being redistributed
6. STEADY STATE PERIOD (t<5τ)
Once the capacitor is fully charged (reaching>99% of the source
voltage) , it acts as an open circuit. At this point ,current stops
flowing (I=0) and the circuit reaches a stable equilibrium.
PROCEDURE
1. Assemble the Circuit: Connect the resistor, capacitor, and
power supply in series on the breadboard.
2. VerifyPolarity: For electrolytic capacitors, ensure the
positive lead is connected toward the positive terminal of
the power supply.
3. Initial Discharge: Short-circuit the capacitor terminals
temporarily with a wire to ensure it is completely
discharged (0V) before starting
CHARGING PROCESS :-
Start Charging: Close the switch to connect the power
supply and simultaneously start the stopwatch.
RecordData: Note the voltmeter reading at regular time
intervals (e.g., every 20 seconds).
SteadyState: Continue until the voltage across the capacitor
stays constant and nearly equals the source voltage
DECHARGING PROCESS :-
SwitchConfiguration: Disconnect the power supply and
complete the circuit loop between the capacitor and
resistor.
RecordDecay: Start the stopwatch the moment the
discharge begins and record the falling voltage at the same
time intervals used in Part A.
Termination: Continue until the voltage approaches zero
Create two graphs: Voltage vs. Time for both charging and
discharging to visualize the exponential curves.
Calculate (τ)
τ=RxC
On the charging graph, find the time it took to reach 63.2% of the
maximum voltage. On the discharging graph, find the time it took
to fall to 36.8% of its original value.
DIAGRAMS
BIBILOGRAPHY
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