phys-l@atlantis.cc.uwf.edu

[Mark Sylvester <msylvest@spin.it>]

> From: "Carl E. Mungan" <cmungan@uwf.edu>
....
> Suppose I connect two capacitors in series across a battery. Label the four
> capacitor plates from left to right as A, B, C, and D. Okay, suppose A is
> connected to the positive terminal of the battery, so out goes charge +Q to
> it, and compensating charge off D, leaving -Q on it. My question is: why
> does the charge on B and C have to be -Q and +Q, respectively?

I seem to recall an article in The Physics Teacher, perhaps 3 or 4 years
back, that dealt with this question in some detail. I cannot give the
reference, but maybe somebody else can?

Mark.

*************************************************************
Mark Sylvester
United World College of the Adriatic, Duino, Trieste, Italy.
msylvest@spin.it
tel: +39 40 3739 255
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