If I have three capacitors connected in series....?

Question

whcih is it that supposed to have the largest voltage across it? Is it the largest capacitor or the smallest capacitor?

I connected a 1000mf, 100mf, and 10mf capacitor in series with 10V. THe 1000mf capacitor had the largest amount of voltage across it. I thought the smallest value was supposed to have the largest voltage across it.

Answer 1

You did not mentioned if your voltage source is AC or DC Your question is incomplete but i will answer it in both scenarios.

If the circuit is in AC, The smallest capacitor will have the largest voltage across.

If the circuit is DC, There will be zero flow of current after the capacitors are completely charged, therefore there will be zero voltage across any single capacitor. The only voltage drop that can be measured will be across the two wires on both ends of the three capacitors which is the total voltage from the power supply like an open circuit.

Answer 2

Capacitive reactance is inversely proportional to the capacitor value. So the smallest C will have the most voltage across it, i.e., 10mf - because it has the highest impedance.

Capacitive reactance = 1/(2pi*freq * C)

Addendum: If the applied voltage was DC then the result is the same - except v = q/c for each capacitor and q is the same for a series circuit, so the smallest c will have the highest voltage across it.

Answer 3

You screwed something up ☺
The net charge on each capacitoe is the same (since they're connected in series and the current in all parts of a series circuit is equal). Therefore
V = Q/C and the largest capacitor should have the smallest voltage.

HTH

Doug

Answer 4

If 3 capacitors C1, C2 and C3 are related in parallel, the ensuing cost, CR, is given via CR=C1+C2+C3 If the capacitors are in sequence, the relationship that holds is: a million/CR=a million/C1 + a million/C2 +a million/C3