What happens when capacitors are reconnected?

[Calpalned]

In an example from my textbook, two capacitors are fully charged and then disconnected from the battery. (The full text is on the bottom of the thread).

Initially, the positive charge is on top, negative on the bottom.

How did this occur? This is the part that I don't understand. Originally the top had two positive charges and now it has both positive and negative. Is this natural, or was something done during the re-connection?

So the charges move back to the same configuration as in (A) - positive on top, negative on the bottom. This makes sense. Once again, I don't understand part B, because part B doesn't seem to fit the sequence. A can go to C, but B doesn't fit.

Below is the full example, if it helps

Thank you.

 

[Filip Larsen]

Looks like C₂ is simply "turned around" between the two first diagrams, i.e. the connectors between C₁ and C₂ are swapped in the second diagram compared to the first.

 

[Dale]

How did this occur? This is the part that I don't understand. Originally the top had two positive charges and now it has both positive and negative. Is this natural, or was something done during the re-connection?

Read the second sentence of the first paragraph of the question. Carefully.

 

[davenn]

Looks like C2 is simply "turned around" between the two first diagrams, i.e. the connectors between C1 and C2 are swapped in the second diagram compared to the first.

Yes

Read the second sentence of the first paragraph of the question. Carefully.

and yes

 

[jbriggs444]

But even otherwise, if the battery was disconnected and the capacitors weren't the charge distribution would still be as shown in (b). It has to be to satisfy kirchhoffs loop rule. No reconnection is required, charge will flow automatically.

You may want to re-think that. The removal of the battery leaves the system in the state shown at (a). It is already in equilibrium and no charge will flow.

 

[CrazyNinja]

You may want to re-think that. The removal of the battery leaves the system in the state shown at (a). It is already in equilibrium and no charge will flow.

Yeah it is. Sorry for that. I'll jus delete the previous post. Thanks!