Capacitor and Variable resistor

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem involving a variable resistor connected to a capacitor in an electronic arcade game. The capacitor is charged and then discharged through the resistor, with the goal of determining the appropriate resistance range based on discharge times and voltage levels.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the resistance range using current, charge, and voltage relationships, but expresses concern about the magnitude of their results. Others suggest using the exponential decay formula for voltage in an RC circuit to derive resistance values.

Discussion Status

Participants are exploring different approaches to the problem, with some providing alternative formulas and calculations that yield different resistance values. There is an ongoing exchange of reasoning and attempts to clarify the relationships between voltage, resistance, and discharge time.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working within the constraints of the problem as stated, including specific voltage levels and discharge time ranges. There is uncertainty regarding the correctness of the calculations and the assumptions made about the relationships involved.

coldturkey
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A controller on an electronic arcade game consists of a variable resistor connected across the plates of a [tex]0.220\mu F[/tex] capacitor. The capacitor is charged to [tex]5.00V[/tex], then discharged through the resistor. The time for the potential difference across the plates to decrease to [tex]0.800V[/tex] is measured by a clock inside the game. If the range of discharge times that can be handled effectivly is from [tex]10.0\mu s[/tex] to [tex]6.00ms[/tex], what should be the resistance range of the resistor?

I have solved the problem and I get a maximum resistance of [tex]27272.7\Omega[/tex] and a minimum resistance of [tex]45.45\Omega[/tex].
But these values seem a bit too large.

The way I did it:
[tex]I = q/t[/tex]
[tex]q = CV[/tex]
so [tex]I = CV/t[/tex]
and [tex]R = V/I[/tex]

and solved it for all 4 cases:
(max voltage, largest discharge time)
(max voltage, smallest discharge time)
(min voltage, largest discharge time)
(min voltage, smallest discharge time)

An found there are two different values for the resistor:
[tex]27272.7\Omega[/tex] and [tex]45.45\Omega[/tex].

Does anyone know if there is anything I have done wrong?
Many thanks
 
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I think you can use the formula:
[tex]V=V_{0}e^{-\frac{t}{RC}}[/tex]
 
I tried it using your formula and I get 24.8 ohms and 14882 ohms.
This is roughly half of what I got before.
Any ideas?
 
the way it is worded, cartoon kid is correct.

jw, but what was your reasoning behind this?

coldturkey said:
and solved it for all 4 cases:
(max voltage, largest discharge time)
(max voltage, smallest discharge time)
(min voltage, largest discharge time)
(min voltage, smallest discharge time)
 
Last edited:
coldturkey said:
I tried it using your formula and I get 24.8 ohms and 14882 ohms.
This is roughly half of what I got before.
Any ideas?

In a RC circuit, when a capacitor is discharging, the charges, current and voltage across the capacitor are decreasing exponentially. It's a continuous process. The bigger the R, the slower the discharing process.
 
well I wasnt sure what the relationships were all about so I just decided to try all possible cases and see what I came up with.
 

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