# Formula Capacitor - Discharge Process (RC Circuit) Discharge current    Capacitance    Electrical Resistance    Time

## Discharge current

Unit
The current that flows when the capacitor is discharged. The current does not drop to zero immediately, but reaches zero after a certain time.

## Initial current

Unit
The current at time $$t = 0$$. Its value is given by the applied source voltage $$U_0$$ and the resistance $$R$$: $$I_0 ~=~ \frac{U_0}{R}$$.

## Capacitance

Unit
Electrical capacitance is a characteristic quantity of the capacitor and tells how many charges must be brought onto the capacitor to charge the capacitor to the voltage $$1 \, \mathrm{V}$$. The capacitance has an effect on how fast the capacitor can discharge.

## Electrical Resistance

Unit
Resistor with resistance $$R$$ connected in series with the capacitor. The resistance has an effect on how fast the capacitor can discharge.

## Time

Unit
At the time $$t = 0$$ of the discharge process, the current has the value: $$I(0) = - I_0$$. With time, the discharge current decreases to zero.