PURPOSE: To demonstrate the voltage/charge/capacitance relationships in series and parallel capacitor circuits.

DESCRIPTION: A commercial bank of four identical capacitors can be connected in various series and/or parallel combinations and charged using an attached battery. The digital voltmeter is used to probe the voltage on any individual or group of capacitors and displayed for the class using a TV camera and video projector in the lecture halls (monitor in smaller classrooms).

The pictures above show two capacitors being charged in series (left), and the voltage across one of capacitors being measured after the charging battery has been removed (right).

SUGGESTIONS:

REFERENCES: (PIRA 5C30.42) See Demonstration Reference File for argument over how capacitors really work.

EQUIPMENT: Demonstration capacitor bank, battery, wires, digital voltmeter, and TV camera with monitor or projector.

SETUP TIME: 5 min.