Gas Fitter Practice Test

When two 10 microfarad capacitors are connected in series, what is the net result?

1. 0 mf

2. 5 mf

3. 10 mf

4. 20 mf

The correct answer is: 5 mf

To understand the result when two capacitors are connected in series, it is important to know the formula for calculating the equivalent capacitance of capacitors in series. The formula is: 1/C_total = 1/C1 + 1/C2 For two capacitors, if both have a capacitance of 10 microfarads, the calculation will look like this: 1/C_total = 1/10 + 1/10 1/C_total = 2/10 1/C_total = 1/5 Now, inverting the equation to find C_total gives: C_total = 5 microfarads This means that when two 10 microfarad capacitors are connected in series, the total capacitance is indeed 5 microfarads. This behavior highlights a fundamental property of capacitors in series, where the overall capacitance is less than that of the smallest individual capacitor in the arrangement. Options that present capacitance values of 0 microfarads, 10 microfarads, or 20 microfarads do not accurately reflect the series connection's effect on capacitance, as they would correspond to different configurations or misunderstandings of the fundamental principles governing capacitors in series.