AQA A Level Physics

Topic Questions

7.7 Capacitor Charge & Discharge

11 mark

Which of the following shows the correct charging graphs for a capacitor?

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21 mark

A capacitor of capacitance discharges through a resistor of resistance R. 

Which one of the following statements is true?

  • the time constant will decrease if C increases

  • the time constant will increase if R increases

  • the time constant will increase if R decreases

  • the time constant will increase if C decreases

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31 mark

Which of the following shows the correct discharging graphs for a capacitor?

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41 mark

What is the capacitance of a capacitor in a circuit with a time constant of 90 s when it is discharged through a 300 kΩ resistor?

  • 3.3 kF

  • 0.3 mF

  • 3.3 F

  • 0.3 F

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51 mark

What is the final current in a circuit after a capacitor of 450 mF is discharged through a 200 Ω resistor in 1 minute? The initial current is 0.7 A.

  • 0.14 A

  • 0.69 A

  • 0.36 A

  • 0.57 A

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11 mark

A voltage sensor and a datalogger are used to record the discharge of a 120 mF capacitor in series with a 834 Ω resistor from an initial pd of 7.5 V. The datalogger is capable of recording 1000 readings in 20 s.

7-7-mcq-q1-hard-aqa-a-level-physics

Which line, A to D, in the table gives the pd and the number of readings made after a time equal to the time constant of the discharge circuit? 

 

 potential difference / V

number of readings

A

B

C

D

2.8

6.1

2.8

6.1

5000

5000

200

200

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21 mark

A capacitor of capacitance 500 µF is attached to a potential difference of 15 V and a resistor R. It charges to a potential difference of 12 V in 0.7 s. 

What is the resistance of R?

  • 700 Ω

  • 630 Ω

  • 520 Ω

  • 870 Ω

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31 mark

A capacitor is charged through a 1000 kΩ resistor as shown in the graph below

7-7-mcq-q3-hard-aqa-a-level-physics

What is the potential difference across the capacitor after a time equal to one time constant?

  • 73 V

  • 46 V

  • 35 V

  • 12 V

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41 mark

Switch S in the circuit is held in position 1, so that the capacitor C becomes fully charged to a pd V and stores energy E.

7-7-mcq-q4-hard-aqa-a-level-physics

The switch is then moved quickly to position 2, allowing C to discharge through the fixed resistor R. It takes 53 ms for the pd across C to fall to begin mathsize 16px style V over 2 end style

What period of time must elapse, after the switch has moved to position 2, before the energy stored by C has fallen to begin mathsize 16px style E over 64 end style?

  • 159 ms

  • 106 ms

  • 190 ms

  • 128 ms

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51 mark

An uncharged 7.4 nF capacitor is connected to a power supply and becomes fully charged. The potential difference across the capacitor is equal to 1.5 V after 0.3 s and it has a time constant of 0.8 s. 

How many electrons are transferred to the negative plate of the capacitor at the end of the charging process?

  • 3.3 × 1011

  • 1.1 × 1011

  • 2.2 × 1011

  • 6.6 × 1011

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11 mark

A 650 µF capacitor is charge to a pd of 25 V. It is then discharged through a 120 kΩ resistor. 

What is the time taken for the pd to fall to 20 V?

  • 5 s

  • 45 s

  • 30 s

  • 17 s

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21 mark

The graph shows how the charge on a capacitor varies with time as it is discharged through a resistor.

7-7-mcq-q2-medium-aqa-a-level-physics

What is the time constant for the circuit?

  • 5.50 s

  • 12.5 s

  • 20.0 s

  • 4.70 s

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31 mark

A capacitor of capacitance 20 μF is fully charged and the potential difference across its plates is 4.0 V. It is then connected into the circuit as shown.

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The switch S is closed at time t = 0 s. Which one of the following statements is incorrect?

  • The time constant of the circuit is 12 s

  • After a time equal to the time constant, the charge on the capacitor is 29 µC

  • After a time equal to twice the time constant, the charge remaining on the capacitor is  Q subscript 0 e squared where Q subscript 0  is the charge at time t = 0

  • The initial charge on the capacitor is 80 µC

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41 mark

 A 1600 µF capacitor C, initially uncharged, is then charged by a battery with an emf of 40 V.

7-7-mcq-q4-medium-aqa-a-level-physics

What potential difference does the resistor reach after 3 minutes?

  • 34.8 V

  • 0.094 V

  • 35 V

  • 5.2 V

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51 mark

When a capacitor discharges through a resistor, the current is 50 % lower in 12 s.

What is the time constant of the capacitor–resistor circuit?

  • 17 s

  • 6.0 s 

  • 3.0 s

  • 10 s

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