Four capacitors have capacitances and breakdown voltages as shown. What maximum external emf ε can be applied without any capacitor breaking down?
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Question

Four capacitors have capacitances and breakdown voltages as shown. What maximum external emf ε can be applied without any capacitor breaking down?

G1 Physics · Accepted Answer

For each series branch, charge is common and the smaller breakdown charge C Vᵦd limits the branch. Determine the maximum allowed total voltage for each branch and then take the smaller value because branches are in parallel. The limiting external emf is 2.5 kV. Correct answer: A.