RE:Joules per Capacitor was (Joules per bang...)

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "John H. Couture" <couturejh-at-mgte-dot-com> 


The energy (joules) in a capacitor problem has been brought up before on the
List. It always generates some interesting posts.

For example take two identical one microfarad capacitors, charge one to 100
volts, with a total of .005 joules. Then connect it to the uncharged
capacitor. Each capacitor will end up with 50 volts giving a total of .0025
joules. In other words half of the energy will have disappeared. Where did
the energy go? This has been answered before on the List but I bring it up
to point out an interesting electrical phenomenon that has to do with Tesla
coil operation.

Instead of connecting the charged capacitor directly to the uncharged
capacitor you make the connection using a load such as a 1 Kohm or 1 megohm
resistor. What will be the discharging times and the end voltages on the
capacitors. This is similar to Tesla coil per bang operation but slowed down
for easier analysis. Any comments?

John Couture

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