When is the Charge and Electric Energy in a Capacitor Half of Its Final Value?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on determining the time at which the charge and electric energy in a capacitor reach half of their final values in an RC circuit with an 8kOhm resistor and a 3uF capacitor. The final charge is calculated as E*C, where E is the voltage. For the charge to be half of its final value, the time is approximately 0.0218 seconds. The participant seeks the equation to calculate the electric energy over time, indicating a need for further clarification on energy storage in capacitors.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of RC circuits and their components
  • Familiarity with the formula Q(t) = EC(1-e^(t/(RC)))
  • Knowledge of capacitor energy storage concepts
  • Basic calculus for solving exponential equations
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the formula for electric energy in a capacitor: U = 0.5 * C * V^2
  • Learn how to derive time constants in RC circuits
  • Explore the behavior of capacitors during charging and discharging phases
  • Study the implications of different resistor and capacitor values on charging times
USEFUL FOR

Students studying electrical engineering, physics enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding capacitor behavior in RC circuits.

slaytanic37
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Homework Statement



part 1. Consider a simple RC circuit consisting of a resistor and a capacitor connected in series to a battery. The resistor has a value of 8kOhms, and the capacitance is 3uF. The final (asymptotic) value of the charge in the capacitor is E*C. At what time is the charge in the capacitor one half of this final value?

part 2. At what time is the electric energy in the capacitor one-half of its final value?

Homework Equations



Q(t) = EC(1-e^(t/(RC)))
E = Voltage
C = Capacitance
t = time

The Attempt at a Solution



for part 1, i set (1-e^(t/(RC))) = .5*EC and got a time of .0218.
for part 2, i don't know the equation to relate electric energy of a capacitor over time. i think that's all i need is just the equation.

thanks in advance!
 
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