The two-capacitor problem reconsidered

Author

Mayer, Raymond P. ; Jeffries, John R. ; Paulik, George F.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Sci. & Math., West Shore Community Coll., Scottville, MI, USA

Volume

36

Issue

3

fYear

1993

fDate

8/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

307

Lastpage

309

Abstract

The two-capacitor problem involving connecting a charged capacitor to an uncharged capacitor and accounting for the difference in energy between the initial and equilibrium states, is discussed. Heat due to electrical resistance in the connecting wires is usually cited for the energy loss. In this study, the wires are assumed to be perfectly conducting and without electrical resistance. The circuit then behaves as a loop antenna and radiates energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). All loss of energy in the system can be accounted for through EMR considerations. Examples illustrate the rate of decay of the current in the circuit

Keywords

capacitors; education; electromagnetic interference; linear network analysis; loop antennas; losses; lumped parameter networks; charged capacitor; education; electrical resistance; electromagnetic radiation; energy difference; energy loss; loop antenna; two-capacitor problem; uncharged capacitor; Electric resistance; Electromagnetic radiation; Energy loss; Inductance; Joining processes; Resistance heating; Switched capacitor circuits; Switches; Switching circuits; Wires;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Education, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9359

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/13.231509

Filename

231509