capacitorresistor

Capacitorresistor, more commonly described as an RC network, denotes a circuit element formed by a capacitor and a resistor connected in series or in parallel. Such networks are fundamental passive components used to shape signals in analog electronics. The most common forms are series RC and parallel RC configurations. In a series RC circuit with a input source feeding R in series with a capacitor to ground and the output taken across the capacitor, the arrangement acts as a low-pass filter: high frequencies are attenuated because the capacitor presents a low impedance and shunts them to ground, while low frequencies pass with little attenuation. If the output is taken across the resistor instead, the circuit behaves as a high-pass filter. The characteristic time constant tau = R*C governs charging and discharging; for a step input, the capacitor voltage follows Vc(t) = Vs(1 − e^(−t/RC)) during charge, and current decays as i(t) = (Vs/R) e^(−t/RC).

In a parallel RC network, the resistor and capacitor are connected in parallel across the source. The overall impedance varies with frequency according to Z = (R * (1/jωC)) / (R + 1/jωC), yielding complementary low- and high-frequency behavior with the same time constant RC.

Applications include simple filters (low-pass, high-pass), timing circuits, debouncing of switches, pulse shaping, and snubber networks across switches to suppress voltage spikes. In practice, real components introduce parasitics such as equivalent series resistance (ESR), leakage, and tolerances, which influence performance.

Note: while called "capacitorresistor" in some contexts, engineers normally describe the combination as an RC network or RC circuit.