So....How does one exactly discharge a capacitor?

[September24]

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If there is a circuit with a resistor and capacitor in parallel, when the switch for the circuit is closed, current flows to the capacitor and NOT the resistor right? So after a while, the capacitor charged to V. However, is that it? Capacitor gets charged and current stops flowing?

What happens if resistor and capacitor are in series?

 

[monkeyvokes]

If there is a circuit with a resistor and capacitor in parallel, when the switch for the circuit is closed, current flows to the capacitor and NOT the resistor right? So after a while, the capacitor charged to V. However, is that it? Capacitor gets charged and current stops flowing?

What happens if resistor and capacitor are in series?

When the switch is closed, current flows to both as the voltage increases from zero (charge builds on the capacity). Their voltages are the same because they're in parallel.
after a little while though, the capacitor builds up its charge and no longer draws current. Then you basically just have a series circuit with the resistor.

predictably so, when in series with a resistor, the current starts high and charge builds up on the capacitor. Then the current drops off as charge builds up.