Electricity · Physics

Capacitor Lab Simulation

Change the plate area, the gap and the battery voltage and watch charge build up on a capacitor. Then disconnect it and discharge it through a bulb.

Interactive virtual lab · no download · works on phones and laptops

Chapter: Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
For: Class 12 · JEE · NEET
Time: ~12 min

Capacitor Lab is a Pro simulation

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How to use it

1Drag the plate edge to change area, the top plate to change the gap.
2Change the battery voltage, or disconnect it.
3Turn on field lines, charges and the voltmeter.
4Light bulb tab: flip the switch to discharge.

What to notice

C = ε₀A/d: bigger plates or a smaller gap → more capacitance.
Q = CV and stored energy U = ½CV².
The field between the plates is E = V/d, uniform and pointing + to −.
Disconnected from the battery, Q stays fixed and V changes when you move the plates.

For teachers

A ready-made teaching kit comes with this lab

Lesson plan
21 min, 4 steps
Ask the class
3 questions with answers
Quick quiz
7 questions, printable
Key formulas
4 formulas

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About the Capacitor Lab simulation

A capacitor stores charge on two plates separated by a gap. Its capacitance — the charge stored per volt — grows with the plate area and shrinks as the plates move apart. A charged capacitor also stores energy in the electric field between its plates, which it can release into a bulb.

In this capacitor lab you change the plate area and separation, connect or disconnect the battery, and read the capacitance, charge, field and stored energy on meters. A second screen discharges the capacitor through a light bulb. It covers Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance in Class 12, JEE and NEET.

Also covers: parallel plate capacitor, capacitance, charge, stored energy, electric field, rc discharge.