Three capacitors are connected in parallel. The total capacitance is
Correct answer: A. the sum of the individual capacitances
- A. the sum of the individual capacitances
- B. less than the smallest of them
- C. the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals
- D. always equal to one of them
Explanation
Parallel capacitors share the same voltage and their plate areas effectively add, so the capacitances add directly. In series the reciprocals add, giving a total smaller than the smallest capacitor. This is exactly the opposite of how resistors behave, which is why the two are so often confused.
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About Capacitors
Capacitors store electric charge and energy in an electric field between conductors. Work includes capacitance, the relation Q = CV, dielectric materials, charging and discharging, energy formulas, and combinations of capacitors in series and parallel. Electric potential difference is needed to understand why charge and stored energy change.
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