Electromagnetism

RC Charging

Exponential charging of an RC circuit

  • High school
  • about 4 min
  • 4 of 4 in the family
Not started
10 V4 kΩ500 µFV₀t (5τ)V꜀ = 0.0 V · I = 2.50 mA

Parameters (V₀ = 10 V)

VC=V0(1−e−t/RC)V_C = V_0\left(1 - e^{-t/RC}\right)

τ = RC = 2.00 s

• The capacitor charges fast at first, then ever slower • The current decays toward zero as it charges • After τ = RC it reaches ~63 %, after 5τ essentially full