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The capacitor in an RLC circuit is discharged with a time constant of 50.4 ms. At what time, in microseconds, after the discharge begins is the charge on the capacitor reduced to half its initial value?

User CristisS
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1 Answer

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The formula for calculating the discharge of a capacitor is expesed as

Q = Qoe^-t/b

where

Q is the final charge after time t

Qo is the initial charge

t is the time

b is the time constant

We want to find when Q = Qo/2

Substituting Q = Qo/2 into the formula, it becomes

Qo/2 = Qoe^-t/b

Dividing both sides by Qo, it becomes

1/2 = e^-t/b

Taking the natural og of both sides,

ln (1/2) = ln e^t/b = -t/b * lne

Recall, lne = 1

ln (1/2) = -t/b

By cross multiplying,

t = - bln (1/2)

From the information given,

b = 50.4

t = - 50.4ln(1/2)

t = 34.93 ms

The charge is reduced to half its initial value after 34.93 ms

User Alex Zen
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