Fundamentals of Physics Extended (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1-11823-072-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-11823-072-5

Chapter 25 - Capacitance - Problems - Page 743: 59

Answer

The charge on capacitor 4 is $~~16~\mu C$

Work Step by Step

The equivalent capacitance of $C_3$ and $C_4$ is $1.0~\mu F+2.0~\mu F = 3.0~\mu F$ The equivalent capacitance of $C_1$ and $C_2$ is $2.0~\mu F+4.0~\mu F = 6.0~\mu F$ We can find the equivalent capacitance of the four capacitors: $\frac{1}{C_{eq}} = \frac{1}{3.0~\mu F}+\frac{1}{6.0~\mu F}$ $C_{eq} = 2.0~\mu F$ We can find the charge stored on $C_{eq}$: $q = C_{eq}~V$ $q = (2.0~\mu F)(12~V)$ $q = 24~\mu C$ Then the total charge stored on $C_3$ and $C_4$ is $24~\mu C$ Note that the potential difference across $C_3$ and $C_4$ must be equal. We can find the charge $q_4$ on capacitor 4: $V_3 = V_4$ $\frac{q_3}{C_3} = \frac{q_4}{C_4}$ $\frac{24~\mu C-q_4}{C_3} = \frac{q_4}{2~C_3}$ $48~\mu C - 2~q_4 = q_4$ $48~\mu C = 3~q_4$ $q_4 = 16~\mu C$ The charge on capacitor 4 is $~~16~\mu C$
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