Describe the process of a capacitor charging.

At first, there is a potential difference between the two plates of the capacitor equal to the potential difference between the two battery terminals. This causes electrons to build up on one of the plates making that one more negatively charged and the other plate more positively charged, due to the negatively charged electrons repelling the electrons on the other plate.
Eventually, all the electrical energy is stored as electrostatic potential energy in the form of an electric field in the capacitor. It stops charging once the plates have equal but opposite charges.

Answered by Physics tutor

1717 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

State Faraday's Law of electromagnetic induction, both qualitatively and quantitatively. How is Lenz's Law included in this? (4 marks)


What is the De Broglie wavelength of an electron given it has a kinetic energy of 1 eV? You are given the mass of an electron is 9.11x10^-31 kg and Planck's constant is 6.63x10^-34


A cup of tea contains 175 g of water at a temperature of 85.0 °C. Milk at a temperature of 4.5 °C is added to the tea and the temperature of the mixture becomes 74.0 °C. What is the internal energy lost by the water? What is the mass of the milk?


State the principle of superposition of waves and illustrate it schematically.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning