For an RC circuit with R = 1 kΩ and C = 1 μF, what is the time constant τ?

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Multiple Choice

For an RC circuit with R = 1 kΩ and C = 1 μF, what is the time constant τ?

Explanation:
The time constant of an RC circuit is RC, which dictates how quickly the capacitor charges or discharges after a step. With R = 1 kΩ (1000 Ω) and C = 1 μF (1×10^-6 F), tau = RC = 1000 × 1×10^-6 = 1×10^-3 seconds = 1 ms. So the time constant is 1 ms. After one tau, the capacitor reaches about 63% of its final value, and after five taus, about 99%.

The time constant of an RC circuit is RC, which dictates how quickly the capacitor charges or discharges after a step. With R = 1 kΩ (1000 Ω) and C = 1 μF (1×10^-6 F), tau = RC = 1000 × 1×10^-6 = 1×10^-3 seconds = 1 ms. So the time constant is 1 ms. After one tau, the capacitor reaches about 63% of its final value, and after five taus, about 99%.

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