Experiment 2 - The Capacitor in a Circuit II

A capacitor stores electrical energy. But how do you get the electrical energy into the capacitor? There is no current flowing through the capacitor. Or is it?

Consider the shown, greatly simplified circuit. Imagine what happens when you close the push button switch S...

The negative terminal of the battery "pushes" electrons onto the metal plate, where they accumulate. At the same time the positive terminal of the battery "sucks" electrons from the opposite metal plate. This will continue until a voltage of 9 volts applies to the capacitor. Now the battery no longer has enough "force" to "push" or "suck" electrons.

Circuit diagram with capacitor.

In this imaginary experiment, a current flows through the capacitor, while it is charging.

This current indeed exists. It is called charging current. In the next experiment you are able to observe it.