When capacitors are connected in series, how is the total capacitance calculated?

When capacitors are connected in series, the total capacitance is calculated using the formula where the reciprocal of the total capacitance is equal to the sum of the reciprocals of the individual capacitances. This relationship arises because, in a series connection, the same charge flows through each capacitor, leading to a situation where the overall ability to store charge diminishes compared to any single capacitor alone.

Mathematically, this is represented as: [ CT = \frac{1}{(1/C1) + (1/C2) + (1/C3)} ] This formula highlights how the total capacitance decreases as more capacitors are added in series. Each additional capacitor acts as a barrier to charge accumulation, thus leading to a lower overall capacitance compared to single capacitors considered individually.

The other options misrepresent the behavior of capacitors in series. Some suggest summing capacitances directly, while others imply averaging. Neither of these approaches accurately reflects the fundamental property of capacitors' interactions in a series configuration.