If a capacitor of capacitance C is charged to a voltage V, what is the energy stored in the capacitor?
Correct Answer: U = 1/2 CV^2
- Step 1: Understand that a capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy.
- Step 2: Know that the capacitance (C) is a measure of how much charge a capacitor can store per unit voltage.
- Step 3: Recognize that voltage (V) is the electrical potential difference across the capacitor.
- Step 4: Learn the formula for the energy (U) stored in a capacitor, which is U = 1/2 CV^2.
- Step 5: Identify that in this formula, you multiply the capacitance (C) by the square of the voltage (V^2) and then multiply the result by 1/2.
- Capacitance and Energy Storage – Understanding the relationship between capacitance, voltage, and the energy stored in a capacitor.
