Capacitors in circuits, quick answer needed please

[charlies1902]

Capacitors 1, 2 and 3, have capacitances equal to 2.00 μF,
4.00 μF, and 6.00 μF, respectively. The capacitors are connected in parallel, and
the parallel combination is connected across the terminals of a 200-V source. The
capacitors are then disconnected from both the voltage source and each other, and
are connected to three switches as shown in Figure 24-42. (a) What is the
potential difference across each capacitor when switches S1 and S2 are closed but
switch S3 remains open? (b) After switch S3 is closed, what is the final charge on
the leftmost plate of each capacitor? (c) Give the final potential difference across
each capacitor after switch S3 is closed.

For part b, is would the capacitors be connected in series? Also if they're in series would the sum of all 3 voltages be 0 b/c no voltage source is connected?

 

[lewando]

You are going to need to include Figure 24-42.

 

[charlies1902]

crap sorry i attached it

 

[lewando]

When the circuit is reconfigured, how are the charged capacitors oriented? I would expect to see a "+" and "-" voltage reference on each capacitor terminal in the new circuit.

 

[rwisz]

I would like to clarify some terminology and concepts in your question. The term "capacitors in circuits" is quite broad, as there are many different types of circuits that can include capacitors. I will provide a response based on the specific scenario and questions provided, but please keep in mind that capacitors can be used in many different types of circuits and their behavior may vary depending on the specific circuit configuration.

In this scenario, the capacitors are connected in parallel, which means that they are all connected to the same two points in the circuit (the terminals of the voltage source). This allows the capacitors to share the same voltage, but each capacitor will have a different charge based on its capacitance. When switches S1 and S2 are closed, but S3 remains open, the potential difference across each capacitor will be equal to the voltage of the source, which is 200 V in this case.

For part b, when switch S3 is closed, the capacitors are no longer connected in parallel, but rather in series. This means that the charge on each capacitor will be the same, but the overall voltage across the combined capacitors will depend on their individual capacitances. The final charge on the leftmost plate of each capacitor can be calculated using the formula Q = CV, where Q is the charge, C is the capacitance, and V is the voltage. The total charge on the leftmost plate will be the sum of the charges on each individual capacitor.

In this scenario, the final potential difference across each capacitor after switch S3 is closed will be different for each capacitor, depending on its individual capacitance. The potential difference across each capacitor can be calculated using the formula V = Q/C, where V is the potential difference, Q is the charge, and C is the capacitance. The total potential difference across the combined capacitors will be equal to the voltage of the source, which is 200 V.

I hope this helps clarify the concepts and calculations involved in this scenario. As mentioned before, capacitors can behave differently in various circuit configurations, so it is important to understand the specific circuit being discussed in order to accurately answer questions about it.