Capacitors and Inductors

Recommended for grades 11–16.

Introduction

By now you have examined the effect that resistors have on the electric potential and current in DC circuits. In such circuits, the electric potential and current reach a steady state almost instantaneously. In this experiment, you will examine the transient states that occur in DC circuits when two different kinds of circuit elements–capacitors and inductors–are placed in series with a resistor. Your goal is to determine expressions that relate the time rate of change in the electric potential and current to system parameters.

Objectives

In this experiment, you will

Collect electric potential and current data in a DC circuit in which a capacitor or an inductor is placed in series with various resistors.
Analyze the potential vs. time graphs for capacitors and inductors.
Determine the best-fit equations for the potential vs. time graphs.
Determine the quantity of charge stored by a capacitor from a graph of current vs. time.
Relate the parameters in the best-fit equations for potential vs. time to their physical counterparts in the system.

Sensors and Equipment

This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):

Additional Requirements

You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?

Download Experiment Preview

The student-version preview includes:

Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
List of materials and equipment

Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.

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Standards Correlations

No standards correlations for this experiment.