Practice question

Two identical capacitors in series ( C_{eq = C/2 ) with total voltage V each have voltage V/2, storing energy U_{total = 1/2 C/2 V² = 1/4 C V² . Removing one, the remaining capacitor has capacitance C and voltage V, storing U = 1/2 C V², which is greater ( 1/2 C V² > 1/4 C V² ). The energy increases because the same V across a larger effective capacitance (single C ) stores more energy.