Capacitors in Series: Voltage & Charge Explained

[adabistanesoophia]

Hi,

When capacitors are connected in series then why charge remains same on each capacitor and why voltage differs on each capacitor?

Regards,

Rizwan Khalil
923214120424

 

[Doc Al]

Charge doesn't come out of nowhere--and it doesn't flow across the gap. So the + charge on one side of capacitor 1 must be balanced by an equal - charge on the adjacent side of the capacitor 2. (The net charge on the capacitor is zero; and the net charge on the two plates connected by the wire is also zero.)

As far as voltage goes, how does voltage depend on Q and C?

 

[adabistanesoophia]

But why Q differs in parallel combinations of capacitors?

 

[Doc Al]

In that case the voltage is the same, but the total Q is shared among all the parallel capacitors. Each gets a portion according to V and C.