Objective: Determine the impedance of a capacitor as a function of capacitance and frequency
Any change in voltage across a capacitor gives rise to a flow of current through the component. If an AC voltage is applied, alternating current will flow which is shifted in phase with respect to the voltage. In this experiment, a frequency generator supplies an alternating voltage with a frequency of up to 3 kHz. A dual-channel oscilloscope is used to record the voltage and current, so that the amplitude and phase of both can be determined. The current through the capacitor is given by the voltage drop across a resistor with a value which is negligible in comparison to the impedance exhibited by the capacitor itself.
![Experiment: Impedance of a Capacitor in an AC Circuit (115 V, 50/60 Hz), 8000639 [UE3050111-115], Direct and alternating current (DC and AC)](/imagelibrary/UE3050111-115/UE3050111-115_01_Experiment-Impedance-of-a-Capacitor-in-an-AC-Circuit-115-V-5060-Hz.jpg)
![Experiment: Impedance of a Capacitor in an AC Circuit (115 V, 50/60 Hz), 8000639 [UE3050111-115], Direct and alternating current (DC and AC)](/thumblibrary/UE3050111-115/UE3050111-115_01_1200_1200_Experiment-Impedance-of-a-Capacitor-in-an-AC-Circuit-115-V-5060-Hz.jpg)