Capacitors in series and parallel

In summary,Capacitors in series can be combined and replaced by their equivalent capacitance; same for capacitors in parallel.If you are having trouble recognizing such combinations, please give a specific example with each capacitor labeled.
  • #1
ehabmozart
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I really have troubles determining whether a circuit is in series or parallel. Specially when it comes to capacitors, sometimes they draw it horizontally and sometimes vertically and both can occur in one circuit. How for example magically we combine two capacitors drawn like this -l l- and they combine to give horizontal capacitors. Thanks for help!
 
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  • #2
The symbol for a single capacitor is -| |- Sometimes, one of the vertical lines is replaced with a circular arc.

There is no such thing as 'horizontal' and 'vertical capacitors.'
 
  • #3
  • #4
ehabmozart said:
Here is what I mean with horizontal capacitors. How do we treat it when it is combined with the vertical ones. Do they become one line or two lines??
As SteamKing stated, there's no such thing as "horizontal" or "vertical" capacitors. That just depends how they are drawn. The lines are always perpendicular to the wires attached to them.

Capacitors in series can be combined and replaced by their equivalent capacitance; same for capacitors in parallel.

If you are having trouble recognizing such combinations, please give a specific example with each capacitor labeled. If you can recognize combinations of resistors, then you can apply similar logic to capacitors.
 
  • #5
These two circuits are electrically identical...
 

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  • #6
Schematics

A schematic is not a blueprint. It does not describe the construction of the circuit. It shows the parts, and it shows the connections. For example, an IC (chip, integrated circuit) may be shown as a box with connections to it. There will be numbers by those connections. The IC has those in order, but the schematic may not. In other cases, the IC may contain multiple independent units like amplifiers or logic gates, and these will be used in very different sections of the schematic. You can build the circuit on a solderless breadboard, and make the connections, and it will work. You can also make it with a printed circuit board, and place parts where they fit, and it will work. (In both cases, placement may cause unexpected results in sensitive and high-frequency circuits.) The schematic is drawn to help you understand the operation of the circuit, but in the real world, placement of parts will usually be very different.
 

1. What is the difference between capacitors in series and parallel?

Capacitors in series are connected end-to-end, with the positive terminal of one connected to the negative terminal of the next. This results in a decrease in total capacitance, as the equivalent capacitance is equal to the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of each individual capacitor's capacitance. Capacitors in parallel, on the other hand, are connected side-by-side, with the positive terminals connected and the negative terminals connected. This results in an increase in total capacitance, as the equivalent capacitance is equal to the sum of each individual capacitor's capacitance.

2. What happens to the total capacitance when capacitors are connected in series?

The total capacitance decreases when capacitors are connected in series. This is because the equivalent capacitance is equal to the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of each individual capacitor's capacitance. As more capacitors are added in series, the denominator of the equation increases, resulting in a smaller overall capacitance.

3. How does the voltage across each capacitor change in a series circuit?

In a series circuit, the voltage across each capacitor is equal to the total voltage of the circuit. This is because the capacitors are connected end-to-end, so the voltage is shared among them. However, the charge on each capacitor will be different, since the capacitors may have different capacitances.

4. Can capacitors in a parallel circuit have different values?

Yes, capacitors in a parallel circuit can have different values. In fact, this is often the case in practical applications. The total capacitance is equal to the sum of each individual capacitor's capacitance. This allows for flexibility in designing circuits and choosing the appropriate capacitor values.

5. What is the maximum total capacitance that can be achieved with capacitors in parallel?

The maximum total capacitance that can be achieved with capacitors in parallel is equal to the sum of each individual capacitor's capacitance. There is no theoretical limit to the total capacitance in a parallel circuit, as more and more capacitors can be added to increase the total capacitance. However, in practical applications, there may be limitations due to space or cost constraints.

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