RC charge and discharge
General first-order capacitor step from an initial voltage to a final source voltage.
Development preview. Check the assumptions below before relying on a result. Calculations run in your browser.
How it calculates
Model: V(t) = Vfinal + (Vinitial−Vfinal)e^(−t/RC); t = −RC ln[(Vx−Vfinal)/(Vinitial−Vfinal)]
Assumptions
- Ideal voltage source and linear R/C; leakage and ESR are not included.
Worked example
These are the calculator's default inputs. Change any input above to recalculate.
Inputs
- Series resistance
- 10000 Ω
- Capacitance
- 0.000001 F
- Initial capacitor voltage
- 0 V
- Final source voltage
- 5 V
- Evaluation time
- 0.01 s
- Threshold voltage
- 3 V
Results
- Voltage at time
- 3.1606 V
- Time to threshold
- 0.00916291 s
- Time constant
- 0.01 s
- Current at time
- 0.00018394 A
- Stored energy at time
- 0.00000499471 J