Question

To what potential should you charge a 0.500 μF capacitor to store 1.60 J of energy?

Answer 1

To store 1.60 J of energy in a 0.500 µF capacitor, it should be charged to approximately 2528 volts, using the formula that relates the energy stored in a capacitor to its capacitance and potential difference.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine what potential you should charge a 0.500 µF capacitor to store 1.60 J of energy, we can use the formula for the energy (E) stored in a capacitor:

E = ½ × C × V2

Where:

E is the energy in joules (J)

C is the capacitance in farads (F)

V is the potential difference in volts (V)

First, we rearrange the formula to solve for V:

V = √(2 × E / C)

Then we substitute the given values:

V = √(2 × 1.60 J / 0.500 µF)

V = √(3.20 J / 0.500 × 10-6 F)

V = √(6.4 × 106 J/F)

V ≈ 2528 V

The capacitor should be charged to approximately 2528 volts to store 1.60 J of energy.