Re: [Phys-l] energy to charge a capacitor and stored energy

[curtis osterhoudt <flutzpah@yahoo.com>]

Ah! I apologize for not reading your question very carefully!

 Apparently you're dealing with things on the quantum scale, rather than the continuum approximation thereof. My _guess_ is that either some strange ( not apparent to me! ) effects will come into play, such as the necessity of having the whole apparatus at absolute zero (or else thermal fluctuations will be much larger than any fixed energy possibly stored on the capacitor), or the classical formula gives one a totally correct answer (in absence of resistance in the circuit). 

   Unfortunately, without doing a large amount of postulating and convincing myself as to the correctness of any answer I give, I can't really help with this question at this time! I apologize again for my off-the-cuff answer.

               Best regards, 
                      C.O.

 /************************************
Down with categorical imperative!
flutzpah@yahoo.com
************************************/



----- Original Message ----
From: sridhar chitta <sridhar10chitta@gmail.com>
To: Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 10:07:57 AM
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] energy to charge a capacitor and stored energy

Hi Curtis
One comment:
I assume that the 1.602x10(-19) C is the smallest charge possible and will
be the only one required to be moved and since there will be no opposition
by the capacitor plates there will not be energy expended by the battery.
Is this right ?
Regards
Sridhar

On Sat, Aug 23, 2008 at 8:37 PM, curtis osterhoudt <flutzpah@yahoo.com>wrote:

> Judging from the way the question was asked, a very quick answer is here:
> http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/capeng.html .
>  However, note that if you want to bring in dynamical effects, the strict
> answer depends on how *quickly* the charging happens, and whether any energy
> is allowed to be dissipated through radiation to the far field (for example,
> from currents changing in the wires connecting the battery and the
> capacitor), whether the capacitor is filled with an "ideal" dielectric or
> something which exhibits hysteresis, and so forth.
>
>     Regards,
>                 C.O.
>
>  /************************************
> Down with categorical imperative!
> flutzpah@yahoo.com
> ************************************/
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: sridhar chitta <sridhar10chitta@gmail.com>
> To: phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 7:46:26 AM
> Subject: [Phys-l] energy to charge a capacitor and stored energy
>
> I use a 1V battery to charge a capacitor of capacity 1.602x10raised to -19
> Farad (1.602x10raised to -19 coulomb is the electric charge of a single
> electron).
> What is the energy spent by the battery and the energy stored in the
> capacitor ?
>
> P.S. If you receive spam mail from my mail id, please report to me. Thanks
> Sridhar Chitta
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> Forum for Physics Educators
> Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
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>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Forum for Physics Educators
> Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
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