8.02 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Rc Circuit, Capacitor, Electric Potential
Document Summary
Initially there is no change on the capacitor, so it looks like a short. Thus all the current will slow through it rather than through the bottom resistor. Assign current and current direction in each branch. Circulations direction across each element de nes before and after side of element. De ne electric potential difference across a circuit element by v = v(a) - v(b) Sum of potential difference around a closed path. For each element, choice of circulation direction de nes v = v(a) - v(b) Sum of potential differences across all elements around any closed circuit loop must be zero v = - e s = 0. Sum of currents entering any junction in a circuit must equal sum of currents leaving that junction. Assign +q and -q to each side of a capacitor. When direction of current is toward the positive plate of a capacitor. When direction of current is away from the positive plate of a capacitor.
