Capacitance and RC Circuits—Inquiry Lab Kit for AP® Physics 2

Product Details

AP Physics 2, Big Idea 4, Investigation 7

Electronics play a major role in our everyday lives. Capacitors are simple circuit components that most electronic devices incorporate in a variety of ways. They are used in circuits inside camera-flash units, touch screens and even heart defibrillators. But how do these devices store electric charge?

This advanced-inquiry lab first guides students through an introductory activity where they build their own capacitors and study the variables that affect how much charge can be stored. This introduces students to how a potential difference is created across parallel conducting plates and gives them insight into the charging period of a capacitor. With the help of a capacitance meter, students evaluate the important parameters. In the guided-inquiry activity, students use their capacitor along with known capacitors in a circuit containing an LED, which allows for a semi-quantitative measurement of the time constant of an RC circuit. This introduction into capacitance and the visual representation of the time constant gives students the know-how to further develop their understanding of conservation of electric charge in complex circuits.

Complete for 24 students working in groups of three. A 9-V battery or equivalent power supply and multimeters are required and available separately.