---
title: "Two identical uncharged capacitors, each with capacitance \\(C\\), are connected in series across an ideal battery of potential difference \\(V_0\\). The capacitors are then disconnected, completely discharged, and reconnected in parallel across the same battery. What is the ratio of the total electrostatic energy stored in the series combination to the total electrostatic energy stored in the parallel combination, \\(U_{\\text{series}} / U_{\\text{parallel}}\\)?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/121127/"
date_modified: "2026-08-23T04:58:12+00:00"
---

# Two identical uncharged capacitors, each with capacitance \(C\), are connected in series across an ideal battery of potential difference \(V_0\). The capacitors are then disconnected, completely discharged, and reconnected in parallel across the same battery. What is the ratio of the total electrostatic energy stored in the series combination to the total electrostatic energy stored in the parallel combination, \(U_{\text{series}} / U_{\text{parallel}}\)?

Two identical uncharged capacitors, each with capacitance \(C\), are connected in series across an ideal battery of potential difference \(V_0\). The capacitors are then disconnected, completely discharged, and reconnected in parallel across the same battery. What is the ratio of the total electrostatic energy stored in the series combination to the total electrostatic energy stored in the parallel combination, \(U_{\text{series}} / U_{\text{parallel}}\)?

![Two schematic circuit diagrams arranged side by side. On the left, labeled 'Series', a rectangular circuit loop contains a DC battery on the left vertical wire labeled V_0 and two parallel-plate capacitor symbols on the right vertical wire, each labeled C. On the right, labeled 'Parallel', a rectangular circuit loop contains a DC battery on the left vertical wire labeled V_0 connected to two parallel vertical branches, each containing a single parallel-plate capacitor symbol labeled C. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1787461092-ztiYvJ.jpg)

- **A.** \(\dfrac{1}{4}\)
- **B.** \(\dfrac{1}{2}\)
- **C.** \(2\)
- **D.** \(4\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/121127/*