Equivalent capacitance, circular arrangement

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on determining the equivalent capacitance between two nodes, A and B, in a circuit with capacitors arranged in a circular layout. Participants clarify that while some capacitors may appear to be in series or parallel, the arrangement's topology is what matters for calculating equivalent capacitance. The conversation emphasizes that visualizing the circuit correctly, regardless of its orientation, is crucial for understanding the connections and solving the problem. Additionally, it is noted that labeling terminals does not require applying voltage; they serve primarily as reference points for analysis. Ultimately, the goal is to simplify the circuit into an equivalent representation for easier calculations.
  • #51
gracy said:
In this question I should apply voltage i.e 100 volts in between A and B but no voltage in between C AND D Because it would be wrong.Right?
Right. It would be wrong for the problem that you posed to apply another source between C and D. It would change the circuit and create a different problem.
 
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  • #52
gracy said:
please answer my #46
That's right too. Here, 100V is input and Vcd is the output voltage.
 
  • #53
gracy said:
Is current direction correct?
From positive terminal of battery to the rest of the circuit.
View attachment 92905
Correct conventionally.
 
  • #54
gracy said:
Is current direction correct?
From positive terminal of battery
View attachment 92905
Your indicated currents look fine for the instant that the circuit is first assembled. Since there are no resistances in the circuit it will reach steady-state essentially instantaneously though, and all current flow will cease leaving the capacitors with some charge values.
 
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  • #55
gneill said:
all current flow will cease leaving the capacitors with some charge values. [/QUOTE]

I did not understand.

gneill said:
Since there are no resistances

capacitors have resistance,right?
 
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  • #56
Capacitor 'plates' have resistance, which is negligible since they are metallic.
 
  • #57
Ideal components that aren't specifically resistances are considered to have no resistance. In a circuit diagram, unless otherwise specified, components are taken to be ideal. Capacitors, inductors, and wires are considered to be ideal components, and so have no inherent resistance.
 
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  • #58
gneill said:
and all current flow will cease leaving the capacitors with some charge values.
I don't understand.
 
  • #59
gracy said:
I don't understand.
Once the capacitors are charged, the currents will cease. This will happen really very fast as there is no resistance in the circuit.
 
  • #60
batteries/voltage source have resistance,right?
 
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  • #61
gracy said:
batteries/voltage source has resistance,right?
Not ideal ones. An ideal battery would be a pure voltage source, no resistance. Ideal components are perfect representations of the quality that they are specified to be. An ideal capacitor is capacitance only. An ideal inductor is inductance only. An ideal resistor is resistance only. An ideal voltage source is a voltage source only.

Real world components, being made of imperfect real-world materials, will exhibit some mix of traits in addition to the one they are designed for. So a real capacitor, for instance, may have some very tiny resistance and inductance associated with its wire leads. Usually these imperfections are small enough to ignore for practical design and operational purposes. When they are not negligible for a given component or circuit situation you will be told so in the problem statement.
 
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  • #62
gracy said:
In such cases we should not apply voltage ?As we can see you did not apply voltage but made A and B connection terminals there when the question asked to find equivalent potential between A and B

To find a voltage or potential difference you would connect a voltmeter.

To apply a voltage or potential difference you would connect a battery.
 
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