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AP Physics 2
11.8 Resistor-Capacitor (RC) Circuits
IntermediateMCQProportional AnalysisConceptual17.5k
A schematic of a capacitor circuit consisting of two parallel vertical branches. The left vertical branch contains a parallel-plate capacitor labeled C. The right vertical branch contains an open switch labeled S at the top and a parallel-plate capacitor labeled 2C below it. The top terminals of both branches are connected by a horizontal wire, and the bottom terminals are connected by a horizontal wire. No voltage source is present. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
Capacitor circuit before switch S is closed.
A capacitor of capacitance \(C\) is charged using a battery until it reaches a potential difference \(V_0\), storing energy \(U_0\). The capacitor is then disconnected from the battery and connected in parallel with an uncharged capacitor of capacitance \(2C\) through an open switch \(S\). After switch \(S\) is closed and electrostatic equilibrium is established, what is the ratio of the total electrical energy stored in the two capacitors to the initial energy \(U_0\)?

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