The equivalent capacitance of an infinite ladder network of capacitors, where each repeating section consists of a series capacitor and a shunt parallel capacitor , is:
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B.
**Answer: .
- Step 1: Since the ladder is infinite, removing the first repeating section leaves the remainder with identical equivalent capacitance .
- Step 2: The first section consists of series capacitor followed by the parallel combination of and across the output terminals.
- Step 3: The equivalent capacitance satisfies: $\frac{1}{C_{eq}} = \frac{1}{C_1} + \frac{1}{C_2 + C_{eq}} \implies C_{eq} = \frac{C_1(C_2 + C_{eq})}{C_1 + C_2 + C_{eq}}.
- Step 4: Substitute and : $C_{eq} = \frac{1(2 + C_{eq})}{1 + 2 + C_{eq}} = \frac{2 + C_{eq}}{3 + C_{eq}}.
- Step 5: Multiply out: .
Why not the others: is the shunt capacitance value; is obtained from an incorrect quadratic formulation; divides by 2.
Practise more Capacitance.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed JEE Main mock tests.
More Capacitance questions
- A parallel plate capacitor with air between the plates has capacitance and is charged to a potential difference…
- A parallel plate capacitor has plate area and plate separation . A dielectric slab of dielectric…
- Two capacitors of capacitances and are connected in series across a DC supply.…
- What is the electrostatic force of attraction between the two plates of a parallel plate capacitor carrying charge and having plate area…
- A capacitor is charged to and then connected in parallel with an uncharged capacitor. What…
- What is the electrostatic energy density stored in an electric field of magnitude in vacuum? (…