What Happens When Capacitors Are Charged with a 9-V Battery?

[RamirezL]

While analyzing the quarter project of my physics class, there was a question that I counld't answer.

The question of the experiment is: How do the charging times of different capacitors vary with capacitance?

Objectives
• Collect and organize data on the rate of charge of different capacitors.
• Compare and contrast the rate of charging for different capacitances.
• Make and use graphs of potential difference versus time for several capacitors.
Materials
• 9-V battery
• voltmeter
• 9-V battery clip
• 47-kῼ resistor
• hook-up wires
• stopwatch
• switch
• capacitors: 1000 μF,470 μF, 220 μFe

When I did the experiment, at any time the voltmeter read 9-V, and the teacher asked me to answer to this:

Does each capacitor charge to 9-V? Propose an explanation for the observed behavior.

 

[jbsteele]

Yes, each capacitor charges to 9-V. This is because when a 9-V battery is connected to a capacitor, the voltage across the capacitor increases until it reaches the same voltage as the battery. This is due to the fact that capacitors are able to store electrical energy and release it when the voltage across them is great enough. When the voltage reaches 9-V, the capacitor has reached its maximum capacity and can no longer take in any more charge.