Calculate the time constant and voltage response of a Resistor-Capacitor circuit.
Circuit Components
Time Response
Enter circuit parameters to calculate
About this calculator
Quick Reference
RResistance (Ω)
CCapacitance (F)
τTime Constant (s)
5τSettling Time
Overview
An RC circuit is an electric circuit composed of resistors and capacitors. The time constant (τ = RC) determines how quickly the capacitor charges or discharges.
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Pro Tips
The time constant (τ) is the time it takes for the voltage to reach ~63.2% of its final value during charging.
After 5 time constants, the capacitor is considered fully charged (~99.3%).
Charging formula: V(t) = V0(1 - e^(-t/τ))
Discharging formula: V(t) = V0 * e^(-t/τ)
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Fun Facts
"RC circuits are used as filters, timing elements, and integrators/differentiators in electronics."
"The time constant τ has units of seconds (Ω * F = s)."
"Flash circuits in cameras use RC timing to control the duration of the flash."
