A RC circuit, also known as a resistor-capacitor circuit, is an electrical circuit that consists of a resistor and a capacitor connected in series or parallel. The capacitor stores electrical energy while the resistor controls the flow of current.
In a RC circuit, the capacitor charges up to the source voltage through the resistor. As the capacitor charges, the current decreases until it reaches zero. Then, the capacitor discharges through the resistor until it reaches zero voltage again. This cycle repeats as long as the circuit is connected to a power source.
The time constant of a RC circuit is the amount of time it takes for the capacitor to charge up to 63.2% of the source voltage or discharge down to 36.8% of the initial voltage. It is calculated by multiplying the resistance (R) and capacitance (C) values of the circuit, t = RC.
In a RC circuit, the current and voltage are inversely proportional. As the voltage across the capacitor increases, the current decreases and vice versa. Once the capacitor is fully charged, the current becomes zero and the voltage across the capacitor remains constant.
RC circuits are commonly used in electronic filters, such as low-pass and high-pass filters, to block certain frequencies of electrical signals. They are also used in timing circuits, oscillators, and power supplies. Additionally, RC circuits are important in modeling the behavior of biological systems and neural networks.
