modified 5 years ago

Please Help - How 2 series capacitors charges Confused

02:28:47

Can somebody please answer my question on how the capacitors are charged?

When switch closed for both circuits:

BOTTOM CIRCUIT
Electrons flow from battery -ve terminal to bottom plate of capacitor, making it -ve. At same time, electrons flow from top plate of capacitor to +ve battery terminal. In this way, current doesn't actually flow THROUGH capacitor, but flows to and from capacitor plates from battery, this is how capacitor develops charge.

TOP CIRCUIT: (my question)
The TOP PLATE of BOTTOM capacitor is not connected direct to +ve battery terminal like in bottom circuit (it has insulator layer of top capacitor blocking electron flow), so HOW does this plate develop +ve charge?  
Similarly, HOW does bottom plate of top capacitor develop -ve charge, because it is not connected directly to battery -ve terminal like in bottom circuit (there is insulative layer of bottom capacitor stopping electrons flowing from -ve battery terminal to bottom plate of top capacitor?

published 5 years ago

maxmax_66

5 years ago

When connected to the battery, negative charges will start to flow from the top plate of the top capacitor and get deposited on the lower plate of the bottom capacitor which will cause negative charges from the top plate of the bottom capacitor to flow from there to be deposited on the lower plate of the top capacitor.

giomix

5 years ago

The answer is the existence of electric field generated between the plates. You cannot think in terms of only insulation or contact, otherwise a cap would be the same of a switch when opened. You also can trace current in oscilloscope and you will see a difference begavior between top and bottom circuit when you start simulation with both switches already opened and you close them. Bottom circuit is unreal in EC, due single cap start already charged.

giomix

5 years ago

you can aldo think to charges like a newton cradle https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/newtons-cradle.htm Imagine between the first and the second ball a vertical dielectric plate fixed to the floor (first cap) and the same between third and fourth. Motus quantity is conserved

dB7

5 years ago

Thank you guys

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