• Topic: Charging and Discharging of Capacitor

• Name: Shantanu Walunj

• Standard: XII
• Division: C
• Roll no: 23
• Subject: Physical Education
• Academic year: 2024 – 25
 • Certificate

• This is to certify that Mst. SHANTANU WALUNJ has successfully

completed the Project work entitled

• “CHARGING AND DISCHARGING OF CAPACIOTR “in the subject

PHYSICS, laid down in the regulations of CBSE for the purpose of
Practical Examination in Class XII to be held in St. Joseph High
School (CBSE).

• External Examiner’s Signature Principal’s Signature

• Internal Examiner’s Signature School Stamp

 •ACKNOWLEDGMENT

• I would like to express deep gratitude and immense

thanks to my Principal Ms. Leena Verma, St. Joseph
High School, (CBSE), Panvel for consent
encouragement.

• I pay my deep sense of gratitude to Miss. Prerna

Sunar teacher to encourage me to prepare this project.

• I am immensely obliged to my parents and friends for

their endless support and help me throughout the
completion of this project.

• I am extremely indebted to the God Almighty for

providing me with everything I needed.

• Name of the Student: Shantanu Walunj

• Class: XII-C
 INDEX
SR NO TOPIC PAGE
NO

1 Introduction 1

2 Material Required 3

3 Theory 4

4 Procedure 6

5 Observations 8

6 Uses of Capacitor 10

7 Photo gallery 13

8 Bibliography 14
 INTRODUCTION
An R-C circuit is a circuit containing a resistor and capacitor
in series to a power source. Such circuits find very important
applications in various areas of science and in basic circuits
which act as building blocks of modern technological devices. It
should be really helpful if we get comfortable with the
terminologies charging and discharging of capacitors.

• Charging of capacitor :
A capacitor is a passive passive two terminal electrical
component used to store energy in an electric field.
In the hydraulic analogy charge carriers flowing
through a wire are analogous to water flowing
through a pipe. A capacitor is like a rubber membrane
sealed inside a pipe. Water molecules cannot pass
through the
membrane, but some water can move by stretching
the membrane. The analogy clarifies a few aspects of
capacitors:
The flow of current alters the charge on a
capacitor, just as the flow of water changes the
position of the membrane. More specifically, the
effect of an electric current is to increase the
charge of one plate of the capacitor and decrease
the charge of the other plate by an equal amount.
This is just like how, when water flow moves the
rubber membrane, it increases the amount of
water on one side of the membrane and decreases
the amount of water on the other side.
 INTRODUCTION
Current can flow "through" a capacitor even though no individual
electron can get from one side to the other. This is analogous to
the fact that water can flow through the pipe even though no
water molecule can pass through the rubber membrane. Of
course, the flow cannot continue the same direction forever; the
capacitor will experience dielectric breakdown, and analogously
the membrane will eventually break.
•The capacitance describes how much charge can be
stored on one plate of a capacitor for a given "push"
(voltage drop). A very
• stretchy, flexible membrane corresponds to a higher
capacitance than a stiff membrane.
• Discharging of capacitor :
Using hydraulic analogy only we can understand that when
the capacitor is charged the membrane is stretched, but
now if you allow the water to come out slowly and let the
membrane relax, then it is called discharging of capacitor. In
other words, when the charge on each of the plates becomes
zero and the potential difference across its terminals drops
to zero.
 MATERIAL REQUIRED
These materials are necessary in building a charging and
discharging capacitor circuit :-
1. 100µF capacitor

2. 1 MΩ resistor

3. 9 V battery

4. Wire stripper, connecting wires, battery connector and stopwatch

 THEORY
The behavior of a capacitor in a simple series circuit with a
resistor and a DC power supply can be explained through the
principles of electrostatics and RC circuits. This theory explores
the charging and discharging processes of a capacitor, focusing
on the voltage-time relationship, the role of resistance, and the
time constant.
1. Capacitance and Electric Charge Storage
A capacitor is a two-terminal passive electronic component that
stores energy in the form of an electric field, created by a
separation of charges. The capacitance CCC of a capacitor
determines the amount of charge it can store per unit of voltage
applied across its terminals. The relationship between charge Q,
voltage V, and capacitance C is given by:

2. RC Time Constant (τ)

The charging and discharging of a capacitor in an RC circuit are
characterized by the time constant, which is the product of the
resistance R and the capacitance C
The time constant defines the rate at which the capacitor charges
and discharges. Specifically, it is the time required for the voltage
across the capacitor to change by approximately 63% of the
difference between its initial value and its final value (either
supply voltage during charging or zero during discharging).
 THEORY
When the switch in the circuit is closed, allowing current to flow,
the capacitor begins to charge. The charging follows an
exponential function.
Whereas, When the switch is opened, disconnecting the power
supply, the capacitor begins to discharge through the resistor.
The discharging process also follows an exponential function

3. Energy Storage and Dissipation

While the capacitor is charging, energy is stored in the electric
field between the capacitor plates.
During discharging, the stored energy is released, and the energy
dissipates as heat in the resistor, according to Joule’s law.
 PROCEDURE
This setup describes the process of charging and discharging a
capacitor in an electrical circuit that includes a resistor and a DC
power supply. Here's a breakdown of the procedure, described in
a more detailed way:
1.Circuit Assembly: The first step involves creating a series circuit
where a capacitor and resistor are connected sequentially to a
DC power supply. The components are arranged so that current
will flow through the resistor to the capacitor.
2.Control Mechanism: A switch is placed in series with the
resistor, between the power supply and the rest of the circuit.
The purpose of the switch is to allow the user to control when
current flows into the circuit, effectively controlling the
charging process of the capacitor.
 PROCEDURE
3.Initiating the Charging Phase: When the switch is closed, a
path is created for current to flow from the power supply. This
causes the capacitor to start charging. Initially, the voltage across
the capacitor is zero, and as time progresses, the capacitor
accumulates charge, causing the voltage across its terminals to
increase. This increase in voltage continues gradually,
approaching the voltage level of the power supply. The rate at
which this occurs depends on the values of the resistor and
capacitor, following an exponential curve described by the time
constant (τ = RC).
4.Disconnection for Discharge: Once the capacitor is fully
charged, the switch can be opened. Opening the switch
disconnects the power supply from the circuit, and the capacitor
is now free to discharge. The stored energy in the capacitor is
released, and the charge flows through the resistor. As the
capacitor discharges, the voltage across it drops gradually. The
discharge process also follows an exponential curve, and the
voltage decreases until it approaches zero, indicating that the
capacitor has completely discharged.

In short, the setup demonstrates the basic principles of capacitor

charging and discharging in a DC circuit. The switch serves as a
tool for initiating and halting the flow of current, allowing the
capacitor to store and release energy in a predictable manner,
governed by the resistor-capacitor time constant.
 OBSERVATION
When observing the charging and discharging of a capacitor in a
simple series circuit with a resistor and DC power supply, several
key behaviors can be noted:
1.Charging Behavior: Upon closing the switch and allowing
current to flow, the capacitor begins to charge. Initially, the
voltage across the capacitor is zero, but as time progresses, the
voltage steadily increases. The charging follows an exponential
curve, with the voltage gradually approaching the supply
voltage. The rate of charging is determined by the product of
the resistance (R) and capacitance (C), which defines the time
constant (τ = RC). A larger time constant results in a slower
charging process.
• Discharging Behavior: Once the switch is opened, the power
supply is disconnected, and the capacitor begins to discharge.
The voltage across the capacitor decreases exponentially, with
the charge flowing through the resistor. As the capacitor
discharges, the voltage decreases towards zero, indicating the
depletion of the stored charge. Similar to the charging process,
the discharging rate also depends on the RC time constant,
with the capacitor discharging more slowly for larger values of
resistance or capacitance.
 OBSERVATION
3.Voltage-Time Relationship: Both charging and discharging
processes exhibit exponential behavior, with the voltage
changing more rapidly at the start and slowing down as it
approaches its final value (either the supply voltage for charging
or zero for discharging).
the capacitor’s charging and discharging are smooth, predictable
processes governed by the RC time constant, and this behavior is
a fundamental characteristic of capacitive circuits. The switch
plays a key role in controlling when the capacitor begins to store
or release energy, making it a useful component for managing
the timing of these processes.

The original graphs for discharging and charging respectively

are:-
 USES OF CAPACITOR
Capacitors are versatile components with a wide range of
applications in electrical and electronic systems. Their ability to
store and release energy makes them crucial for many uses. Here
are some of the primary applications of capacitors:
1. Energy Storage
• Power Supply Smoothing: Capacitors are used in power supply
circuits to smooth out fluctuations in the voltage. After
rectification (conversion from AC to DC), a capacitor filters the
ripple voltage and provides a steady DC output. This is
especially important in devices that require stable power, such
as radios, computers, and power adapters.
• Backup Power: In some systems, capacitors act as short-term
energy storage devices, providing backup power during brief
power interruptions. This can be found in applications like
cameras with flash, where the capacitor quickly releases
energy to power the flash.
2. Signal Filtering and Coupling
• Filter Circuits: Capacitors are often used in RC (resistor-
capacitor) and LC (inductor-capacitor) filters to block or pass
certain frequencies. In audio and radio frequency applications,
capacitors filter out unwanted noise or allow specific frequency
ranges to pass through.
• Low-pass filters: Allow low frequencies to pass and
block high frequencies.
• High-pass filters: Allow high frequencies to pass and
block low frequencies.
• Band-pass filters: Allow a specific range of frequencies
to pass, blocking both lower and higher frequencies.
 USES OF CAPACITOR
3. Energy Storage in Timing Circuits
• Timing Applications: Capacitors are essential in timing circuits,
especially in combination with resistors (RC circuits). They are
used to create time delays or oscillations in circuits, such as in
oscillators for generating clock signals, timers, or pulse circuits.
• Pulse Generation: In circuits like 555 timers, capacitors are
used to charge and discharge at specific rates, generating
precise time intervals.
4. Motor Start and Run Capacitors
• Induction Motors: Capacitors are used in single-phase motors,
such as those found in HVAC systems, refrigerators, and
washing machines, to improve efficiency and start the motor. A
start capacitor provides an initial boost of power to start the
motor, while a run capacitor ensures smooth and efficient
operation once the motor has started.
• Capacitor-Start Motors: These motors use a capacitor in series
with the start winding to provide the necessary phase shift and
start torque, improving efficiency and performance.
5. Power Factor Correction
• Improving Power Factor: In industrial and commercial settings,
capacitors are used to improve the power factor of electrical
systems. Power factor correction is important for reducing
energy loss and improving the efficiency of the electrical
system. By adding capacitors to the circuit, they help
compensate for the inductive effects of motors and
transformers, thus reducing reactive power.
PHOTO GALLERY
 CONCLUSION
• Through this project, we explored the fundamental concepts
of capacitor charging and discharging in an electrical circuit. By
building a model, we observed how a capacitor stores and
releases energy over time, following an exponential curve. This
behavior is influenced by factors such as resistance and
capacitance values, as shown in the experimental results.

• Our experiments confirmed that during the charging process,

the capacitor voltage rises asymptotically towards the supply
voltage, with the charging rate influenced by the resistance and
capacitance values (RC time constant). Similarly, during the
discharge phase, the capacitor voltage decreases exponentially
as the stored energy is released, once again following the RC
time constant.

• This project has helped us understand the practical

applications of capacitors in electronic devices, including their
role in filtering, energy storage, and signal processing. The
experiment illustrates that by adjusting the resistance and
capacitance, the charging and discharging times of a capacitor
can be precisely controlled, which is essential in designing
various electronic circuits.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
The list of websites and books which are referred during the
development of this project are-

• Websites:
1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wik i/Wirel
ess_power_transfer
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics

/engineering/wireless-power-transfer

• Books:
N.C.E.R.T Physics part - 1 class 12
Fundamental of physics by Resnick , Halliday and Walker.