Capacitor Combination Bench

Capacitor Combination Bench

Join C1 = 10 µF, C2 = 22 µF and C3 = 47 µF in different ways. Discharge, then measure: the meter shows the total and the calculated value appears beside it.

Choose a connection

Series

CAPACITANCE METERµF
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Calculated value–
Red lead on A (+), black lead on B (−). The + mark on each capacitor faces the red side.

Capacitors work the opposite way to resistors

SeriesTotal gets smaller than the smallest capacitor.
1/C = 1/C1 + 1/C2 + 1/C3
Every capacitor holds the same charge.
ParallelTotal gets bigger: just add them.
C = C1 + C2 + C3
Every capacitor has the same voltage.

Results

ConnectionCalculated (µF)Measured (µF)Error (%)

Error % = (Calculated − Measured) ÷ Calculated × 100. Measured values are a little low because real capacitors have tolerance.