What Is the Series Capacitance?

With the given information, the total capacitance can be found using the equation for capacitance in series.

Entering the given capacitances into the expression for $\frac{1}{C_{\text{S}}}$ gives $\frac{1}{C_S}=\frac{1}{C_1}+\frac{1}{C_2}+\frac{1}{C_3}$.

Inverting to find $C_{\text{S}}$ yields $$$C_{\text{S}}=\frac{\text{µF}}{1\text{.}\text{325}}=0\text{.}\text{755 µF}$.

The total series capacitance $C_{\text{s}}$ is less than the smallest individual capacitance, as promised. In series connections of capacitors, the sum is less than the parts. In fact, it is less than any individual. Note that it is sometimes possible, and more convenient, to solve an equation like the above by finding the least common denominator, which in this case (showing only whole-number calculations) is 40. Thus,

so that