Question

Compared with the individual capacitors in a series combination, how large is the equivalent capacitance?

Options

• Always equal to the sum of the individual capacitances

• Always greater than the largest individual capacitor

• Always less than the smallest individual capacitor

• Always equal to the largest individual capacitor

Answer 1

For capacitors in series, the reciprocals of the capacitances add. Consequently, the equivalent capacitance is always less than the smallest individual capacitance.