RC Flashing Bulb Circuit
RC Flashing Bulb Circuit
This Demonstration shows how different circuit parameters can affect the blinking frequency of a bulb in an RC circuit with a specified breakdown voltage. When the potential across the capacitor is less than the breakdown voltage of the bulb, its potential increases according to the relation =(1-). When =, the bulb lights up and the potential across the capacitor decreases to zero. This process repeats, causing the light to flash at a constant frequency.
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capacitor
V
battery
-t/RC
e
V
capacitor
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breakdown