NEET2017PhysicsCapacitanceActual
A capacitor is charged by a battery. The battery is removed and another identical uncharged capacitor is connected in parallel. The total electrostatic energy of resulting system
Options
- Aincreases by a factor of 4 .
- Bdecreases by a factor of 2 .
- Cremains the same.
- Dincreases by a factor of 2 .
Correct answer
B. decreases by a factor of 2 .
Step-by-step solution
Charge on capacitor, q = C V When it is connected with another uncharged capacitor. V c = q 1 + q 2 C 1 + C 2 = q + 0 C + C V c = V 2 Initial energy, U i = 1 2 C V 2 Final energy, U f = 1 2 C V 2 2 + 1 2 C V 2 2 = C V 2 4 Loss of energy = U i - U f = C V 2 4 , i.e., decreases by a factor of 2 .