- #1
Trista
- 33
- 0
OK, here is my frustration: I go to my lab, exchange equipment several times because some equipment is bad or wrong, do an experiment to show the time constant. First we charge the capacitor. Trial and error to find a good time increment. THEN, its time to discharge. AFTER 10 minutes of the capacitor not discharging (or shall we say, after 10 minutes it only discharged 1/2 volt, then 20 minutes another 1/2 volt gone...) we ask the teacher what could be wrong. She gives us a lecture on how we should have done the calculations and pre guessed what should be happening. Well, its not happening even with experimentor bias... which wouldn't have made a bit of difference. :grumpy:
Can ANYONE give me a clue as to why the capacitor didn't discharge correctly? It charges at about 63% and SHOULD discharge at 37%, but ours would have taken days, I'm afraid. She didn't have an answer, except to sit there for the rest of the day to see how long it takes.
Can ANYONE give me a clue as to why the capacitor didn't discharge correctly? It charges at about 63% and SHOULD discharge at 37%, but ours would have taken days, I'm afraid. She didn't have an answer, except to sit there for the rest of the day to see how long it takes.