5C Capacitance

Light a Bulb with a Capacitor and Charge with a battery

The capacitor is charging and the current shows on the multimeter.
Catalog: 
5C30.30B
Location: 
Ca4
Three D cell batteries charge a 1F capacitor while in series with an ampmeter. When the capacitor is charged it is discharged through the light bulb. The student can watch the current vary throughout the process.

Parallel plate capacitor

Here the dielectric is out of the capacitor.
Catalog: 
5C10.20A
Location: 
Ca1
ASU made air capacitor

Parallel plate capacitor

Dielectrics can be inserted by hand.
Catalog: 
5C10.20B
Location: 
Ca1
PASCO parallel air capacitor

Short a capacitor

When charging the voltage should be less than 150 V and the current will start a
Catalog: 
5C30.20
Location: 
Ca3
A 12000 pF capacitor is charged to 150v and then shorted.

Tin Foil and wax paper Capacitor

A sheet of tin foil.
Catalog: 
5C20.10D
Location: 
Ca1
With tin two tin foild sheets and a sheet of wax paper in the middle a simple capacitor is constructed.

Light bulb with a capacitor

The power source can be a power supply, Genecon generator or battery pack.
Catalog: 
5C30.30
Location: 
Ca4
The Genecon hand cranked generator is used to charge the 1 F capacitor and then discharged through a bulb. It takes a long time indicating a time constant.