Equivalent Capacitance or Resistance and Kirchoff's rules

[lookingforhlp]

Homework Statement

If each capacitor is filled with a dielectric material (with constant K, kappa), what is the new equivalent RC circuit? All resistors have equal value, and capacitors have equal value (without a dielectric), C.

Homework Equations

C = (Epsilon * Area) / Distance
C with a dielectric is = KC

V=IR

Q=CV

all the resistor and capacitance equivalent equations

The Attempt at a Solution

(Please see attached image for the RC Circuit)

I guess that it's asking for the current? Not sure what "new equivalent RC circuit" means.

I need to know what this is asking before I try it...anyone have any ideas?

 

[gneill]

I presume that they want you to find the component values for an equivalent circuit having just one resistor and one capacitor.

 

[lookingforhlp]

So just the total resistance and total capacitance?

 

[lookingforhlp]

In that case Rtot = 2R and Ctot = 4K*epsilon*area/distance

 

[gneill]

You're given the original capacitor values, C. You're not given area or distance. So express the resulting capacitance in terms of C.

 

[lookingforhlp]

Ctot = 4KC?

 

[gneill]

Sure.

 

[khemist]

Ctot = 4KC?

Capacitors in series add up, but in parallel they actually reduce the total capacitance. The equation should be easily found in your book.

Someone please correct if I am wrong.

 

[lookingforhlp]

I was pretty sure it was the other way around...let me double check

 

[gneill]

Capacitors in parallel add directly.

 

[lookingforhlp]

I agree