In an RC circuit using two capacitors in series with two resistors,which of the following combinations would give the greatest time constant?
A)both capacitors in series placed in series with both resistors in series
B)both capacitors in parallel placed in series with both resistors in parallel
C)both capacitors in series placed in series with both resistors in parallel
D)both capacitors in parallel placed in series with both resistors in series

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The time constant ($\tau$) of an RC circuit is given by $\tau = RC$, where $R$ is the resistance and $C$ is the capacitance. For capacitors in parallel, the total capacitance ($C_{total}$) is the sum of the individual capacitances ($C_{total} = C_1 + C_2$). For resistors in series, the total resistance ($R_{total}$) is the sum of the individual resistances ($R_{total} = R_1 + R_2$). Therefore, having both capacitors in parallel increases the total capacitance, and having both resistors in series increases the total resistance, which together maximize the time constant ($\tau$).

In an RC Circuit Using Two Capacitors in Series with Two