The discussion revolves around analyzing an RC circuit comprising a battery, two resistors, a switch, and a capacitor. Participants explore the current and charge behavior over time when a voltage Vs is applied. Key equations derived include I = C*dV/dt for the capacitor and V = RI for the resistor, with emphasis on exponential functions governing current and voltage changes in the circuit. The time constant τ is defined as τ = Req * C, where Req is the equivalent resistance seen by the capacitor.
PREREQUISITESStudents in electrical engineering, physics majors, and anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of circuit dynamics, particularly in RC configurations.
gneill said:That is the "starting from the basics" approach, yes.
One writes the circuit equations using the differential or integral forms for the capacitor voltage or current, then solve the resulting differential equation. So for example, for the simple case of a charged capacitor discharging through a resistor, writing KCL:johann1301h said:How does one go about finding the differential equation?