Practice portal › Electric Potential and Capacitance › Capacitor Circuits and Energy

When n capacitors, each of equal value C, are connected in series, the equivalent capacitance of the combination is ______.

Asked in GSEB Board July 2022 · Series and parallel combinations

Answer: (3) C/n

Step-by-step solution

Given: n identical capacitors C in series.

Idea: in series each capacitor carries the same charge Q, and their p.d.s add: V = Q/C + Q/C + … (n terms) = (nQ)/C.

So 1/(Cₛ) = V/Q = n/C.

Cₛ = C/n, smaller than each capacitor, as a series combination must be.

Why the other options are wrong

More Capacitor Circuits and Energy questionsAll Capacitor Circuits and Energy questions →

Reading this solution needs no sign-in. You only sign in to practise against the clock and keep your progress.

Practise this with a timer