60.3k views
1 vote
What equations give the total energy stored in a capacitor with capacitance C, voltage V, and charge Q?

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The total energy (E) stored in a capacitor is given by \( \frac{1}{2} CV^2 \), \( \frac{Q^2}{2C} \), or \( \frac{QV}{2} \), where C is capacitance, V is voltage, and Q is charge. The energy is calculated in joules.

Step-by-step explanation:

The total energy stored in a capacitor which has a capacitance C, voltage V, and charge Q, can be described using the equation:

E = \( \frac{1}{2} CV^2 \)

This equation calculates the energy in joules for a given capacitance in farads and voltage in volts. Alternatively, the energy can also be expressed as:

E = \( \frac{Q^2}{2C} \)

using the charge in coulombs and the capacitance in farads. Lastly, if we consider the charge Q and voltage V, the energy can be represented as:

E = \( \frac{QV}{2} \)

Note that the energy is not simply QV, but QV divided by 2, representing the internally stored potential energy.

User Yves Gurcan
by
7.6k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.