A capacitor has a capacitance of 5 μF and is charged to a potential of 12 V. Wha

A capacitor has a capacitance of 5 μF and is charged to a potential of 12 V. What is the energy stored in the capacitor?

A capacitor has a capacitance of 5 μF and is charged to a potential of 12 V. What is the energy stored in the capacitor?

Step 1: Identify the formula for the energy stored in a capacitor, which is U = 1/2 * C * V².
Step 2: Note the values given: capacitance (C) = 5 μF (microfarads) and voltage (V) = 12 V.
Step 3: Convert the capacitance from microfarads to farads: 5 μF = 5 × 10^-6 F.
Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula: U = 1/2 * (5 × 10^-6 F) * (12 V)².
Step 5: Calculate (12 V)², which is 144 V².
Step 6: Multiply 5 × 10^-6 F by 144 V² to get 7.2 × 10^-4 F·V².
Step 7: Multiply this result by 1/2: U = 1/2 * 7.2 × 10^-4 = 3.6 × 10^-4 J.
Step 8: Convert joules to millijoules: 3.6 × 10^-4 J = 0.36 mJ.

Capacitance and Energy Storage – Understanding how capacitors store energy based on their capacitance and voltage.