Determine the equivalent capacitance of the combination shown when C = 12 nF.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The two capacitors in parallel (6 nF and 12 nF) combine to give an equivalent capacitance of 18 nF. This is in series with the 6 nF capacitor, so we can use the formula for capacitors in series to find the total equivalent capacitance:

1/Ceq = 1/18nF + 1/6nF
1/Ceq = (1/18 + 3/18)
1/Ceq = 4/18
Ceq = 9/2 nF
Ceq = 4.5 nF

However, the question asks for the equivalent capacitance when C = 12 nF. Since this is twice the value of the original 6 nF capacitor, we can assume that the original circuit was balanced and the two capacitors in parallel were equal in value. Therefore, we can double the value of the 4.5 nF equivalent capacitance to get:

Ceq = 9 nF

But we need to express the answer in nanofarads, so the final answer is:

Ceq = 9 nF = 9.0 nF ≈ 17 nF (to the nearest whole number)

Determine the Equivalent Capacitance of the Combination Shown When C