Capacitor Lab-Basics

Shekinah Grace A. Plata XII-Helium

Capacitor -Virtual Lab

Charging capacitor
Method:

1. Open the simulation.

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/capacitor-lab-basics/latest/capacitor-lab-basics_en.html
2. Click on capacitor.
3. Disconnect the capacitor.
4. Connect the capacitor across the battery.
5. All the parameters (plate charges, bar graph, electric field and current
direction) must be selected as shown below

6. Connect the voltmeter across the capacitor and record your observations
below:

Charg Charge Capacitan

What e on Direction Potential ce
the
happens to on the lower of electric difference
the charge
on upper plate field across the
the plates? plate capacitor
Increase the
battery
voltage to +1.5V. charges increase positive negative downward 1.5V 0.30pF
Decrease the
battery
voltage to charges switched negative positive upward -1.5V 0.30pF
-1.5V.
Keep the battery
voltage at 1.5 V
and Charges increase positive negative downward 1.5V 0.59pF
increase the plate
area
Keep the battery
voltage at 1.5 V
and Charges decrease positive negative downward 1.5V 0.15pF
decrease the plate
area
Keep the battery
voltage at 1.5 V
and Charges increase positive negative downward 1.5V 0.44pF
decrease the
separation
Keep the battery
voltage at 1.5 V
and Charges decrease positive negative downward 1.5V 0.09pF
increase the
separation
Capacitor Lab-Basics

Discharging capacitor

Method:
1. Click on the bulb from the bottom of the screen.
2. Make sure the capacitor is connected to the battery and its voltage is 1.5V.
3. Connect the voltmeter across the capacitor.
4. All the parameters must be selected as shown below:

5. Disconnect the charged capacitor from battery and connect it across

the bulb and record your observations in the table below:

What happens to the Increases/Decreases

following? /stays
constant
Charge on the plate charge decreases
Potential difference across the capacitor decreases
Capacitance stays constant
Energy stored in capacitor decreases
Glow of the bulb decreases

Conclusion:
1. How can we charge a capacitor?
We can charge a capacitor by connecting it to the battery. Through this, the
charges from the battery are stored in the capacitor.

2. How can we discharge a capacitor?

We can discharge a capacitor by connecting it to a bulb. The charges from the
capacitor transfers to the bulb which makes it glow.

3. What are the ways to increasing the capacitance of a capacitor?

To increase the capacitance of a capacitor, the area of the plate must be
increased and the space between the two plates must be decreased.

4. What would be the potential difference of the capacitor if it is connected

to a battery of 3V?

The potential difference of the capacitor would be 3V also.

5. On increasing the voltage of the battery what happens to the charge on

the plates of the capacitor?
The charge on the plates also increase.