Question

What causes a capacitor to discharge?

Answer 1

1. An electron flows from the conducting plates of a capacitor to the circuit when it is fully charged and the electrical field from the source around the capacitor decreases to zero, which subsequently causes the capacitor to discharge.
2. Once a circuit is established between the capacitor's terminals, discharging will start.
3. The other electrons on the plate will repel any electrons on the negative plate during discharge, driving those electrons off the plate.
4. Electrons from the circuit will be drawn to the positively charged plate.
5. The capacitor discharges because resistance is connected between the capacitor terminals.
6. The current goes through the resistance and converts electrical energy to thermal energy.
7. The capacitor will take longer to charge or discharge when the resistance is increased.