What occurs when capacitors are connected in series?

When capacitors are connected in series, the behavior of the total capacitance is unique compared to when they are connected in parallel. The total capacitance of capacitors in series is given by the formula:

[

\frac{1}{C_{total}} = \frac{1}{C_1} + \frac{1}{C_2} + \frac{1}{C_3} + \ldots

]

This equation shows that the reciprocal of the total capacitance is the sum of the reciprocals of the individual capacitances. As a result, the total capacitance calculated in this manner is always less than the capacitance of the smallest individual capacitor in the series.

The reason for this decrease in total capacitance can be understood by considering the way capacitors in series hold charge. In a series configuration, the same charge must flow through each capacitor, which means that the capacitors "share" the total voltage across them. Consequently, the effective capacitance decreases because a greater overall voltage is needed to achieve the same amount of charge on the combined capacitors compared to each capacitor acting individually.

This reduction in total capacitance is why it is accurate to say that the total capacitance decreases when capacitors