No, the sine wave impedance is only Z = 1/jwC near DC where you probably don't care. For moderate frequencies, and assuming that you want to look right at the capacitor, then the R-L-C model is adequate. But, depending on the type of dielectric, C may vary considerably across the waveform amplitude. If you are just trying to pass a pulse, you can get around that by making C large enough that variations are insignificant to the series impedance. However, if you are building an equalizer, then the choosing a suitable dielectric type like plastic that doesn't change Er noticeably with bias voltage is probably an important choice. Then there is the little problem of the initial condition. Is this a single pulse with the system starting at zero, or is it a pulse in the midst of a train of pulses? Given your chosen moniker, hopefully you have the initial conditions in mind. Steve At 10:11 PM 1/25/2005 +0000, group_delay wrote: >Hello, > >I am trying to see what kind of an impedance a capacitor will present >to a trapezoidal signal (finite rise time square wave). For a sine >wave, we all know it is Z = 1/jwC. I need to know this because, I want >to find the reflected (from load) waveform magnitude in the following >situation: > >source --> 50 ohm termintion--transmission line--capacitor shorted to >GND. > >Thanks. > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------ >To unsubscribe from si-list: >si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field > >or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: >//www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list > >For help: >si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field > >List FAQ wiki page is located at: > http://si-list.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Si-List_FAQ > >List technical documents are available at: > http://www.si-list.org > >List archives are viewable at: > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list >or at our remote archives: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages >Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List FAQ wiki page is located at: http://si-list.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Si-List_FAQ List technical documents are available at: http://www.si-list.org List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list or at our remote archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu