Chapter 26 Capacitance CAPACITANCE A capacitor is a system that stores energy in the form of an electric field, In its simplest form, a capacitor consists of a pair of parallel metal plates separated by air or other insulating material. ‘The potential difference V between the plates of a capacitor is directly proportional to the charge Q on either of them, so the ratio O/V is always the same for a particular capacitor. This ratio is called the capacitance C of the capacitor: c xo charge on either plate potential difference between plates ‘The unit of capacitance is the farad (F), where 1 farad = 1 coulomb/volt. Since the farad is too Jarge for practical purposes, the microfarad and picofarad are commonly used, where Capacitance = 1 microfarad = 1 uF = 10-6 F | picofarad = 1 pF = 10-2 F A charge of 10° C on each plate of 1-4F capacitor will produce a potential difference of V = QIC = 1 V between the plates. PARALLEL-PLATE CAPACITOR A capacitor that consists of parallel plates each of area A separated by the distance d has a capacitance of coxa4 ‘The constant eg is the permittivity of free space mentioned in Chapter 23; its value is & = 8.85 x 10-1? C?/(N-m?) = 8.85 x 10-2 F/m The quantity K is the dielectric constant of the material between the capacitor plates; the greater K is, the more effective the material is in diminishing an electric field. For free space, K = 1; for air, K = 1.0006; a typical value for glass is K = 6; and for water, K = 80. SOLVED PROBLEM 26.1 ‘A.200-pF capacitor is connected to a 100-V battery. Find the charge on the capacitor’ plates. Q=CY = (200 x 10"? F)(100 V) = 2x 10-FC 309310 CAPACITANCE [CHAR 26 SOLVED PROBLEM 26.2 A capacitor has.a charge of 5 x 10~* C when the potential difference across its plates is 300 V. Find its capacitance. - Q_sxto-tc C= > S007 SOLVED PROBLEM 263 ‘A parallel-plate capacitor has plates 5 cm square and 0.1 mm apart. Find its capacitance (a) in air and (6) with mica of X = 6 between the plates. (© Inair Kis very neatly 1, and so (0.05 mm)? (10+ m) (6) With mica between the plates the capacitance will be X = 6 times greater, or C= (16)(221 pF) = 1326 pF C=Ke $= ()(e8510- £) = 221 x 10° F = 221 pF SOLVED PROBLEM 26.4 A parallel-plate capacitor has a capacitance of 2 jF in air and 4.6 uF when it is immersed in benzene. What is the dielectric constant of benzene? Since C is proportional to K, in general SOLVED PROBLEM 26.5 A 10-uF capacitor with air between its plates is connected to a 50-V source and then disconnected. (a) What are the charge on the capacitor and the potential difference across it? (6) The space between the plates of the charged capacitor is filled with Teflon (K = 2.1). What are the charge on the capacitor and the potential difference across it now? (@) The capacitor’ charge is Q=C¥ = (10 x 10-* F)(50 V) = 5 x 10 Tie potential difference across it remains 50 V after it is disconnected. (©) The presence of another dielectric does not change the charge on the capacitor. Since its capacitance is now eo) =238VCHAR. 26) CAPACITANCE 3il CAPACITORS IN COMBINATION ‘The equivalent capacitance of a set of connected capacitors is the capacitance of the single capacitor that can replace the set without changing the properties of any circuit it is part of. The equivalent capacitance of a set of capacitors joined in series (Fig. 26-1) is__ ‘When using a calculator with a reciprocal (1/X) key, itis easiest to proceed in the way described in Chapter 25 in the case of the similar formula for the equivalent resistance of a set of resistors in parallel. The key sequence here would be [Gill HICeI TESST «f= /X1 If there are only two capacitors in series, 1 1 1_O+G aa eatat aa =6™° Cara In a parallel set of capacitors (Fig. 26-2), the equivalent capacitance is the sum of the individual capacitances: C=Ci\+C2+Cs+--- capacitors in parallel : a “ c ors a rm if iL jf TE tf 4f = if % ‘4-— Cat ates Fig. 26-2 SOLVED PROBLEM 26.6 Show that the equivalent capacitance C of three capacitors connected in series is given by UC =UCy + UIC + WC. Each capacitor in a series connection has charges of the same magnitude Q on its plates, so the voltages across them are, respectively, Gr G If Cis the equivalent capacitance of the set, then Van trr¥s Dividing through by the charge Q gives312 CAPACITANCE, [CHAR 26 SOLVED PROBLEM 26.7 ‘Show that the equivalent capacitance C of three capacitors connected in parallel is given by C=O4GQtG, Now the same voltage V is across all the capacitors, and their respective charged are Q=CK =a B=ar The total charge Q; + Q2 + Q3 on ither the + or ~ plates of the capacitors is equal tothe charge Q on the corresponding plate of the equivalent capacitor C, and so Q=2+H4+Q VaQV=OV+ey Dividing through by V gives c= 1+ C+Cy SOLVED PROBLEM 26.8 Three capacitors whose capacitances are 1, 2, and 3 uF are connected in series. Find the equivalent capacitance of the combination. eee Tak * 3 ae Sur uF Hence HE = 0.545 pF SOLVED PROBLEM 26.9 ‘The three capacitors of Prob. 26.8 are connected in parallel. Find the equivalent capacitance of the combination. CHO + GHC = 1 uF +2 uP +3 uF = 6 uF SOLVED PROBLEM 26.10 A 2-and 3-F capacitor are connected in series. (a) What is their equivalent capacitance? (b) A Potential difference of 500 V is applied to the combination. Find the charge on each capacitor and the potential difference across it. Cie (2HFY(3 HF) _ C+C, 2er+i uF (6) The charge on the combination is Q=C¥ = (1.2 x 10-6 F)(500 V) = 6 x 10-*C ‘The same charge is present on each capacitor (Fig. 26-3). Hence the potential difference across the 2-yF capacitor is @ 1.2 uF Q sxc Y= Oa yI0eF 300Y tnd that across the 3 capacitor i Q 6x0w-Cc Feces ace 2G Teo EF 20V ‘Asa check we note that Vj + Vz = 500 V.CHAP. 26] CAPACITANCE 313 300 V 7200 ‘500 V Fig. 263, SOLVED PROBLEM 26.11 ‘A 5- and 10-pF capacitor are connected in parallel. (a) What is their equivalent capacitance? @ A potential difference of 1000 V is applied to the combination. Find the charge on each capacitor and the potential difference across it. @ C=C 4G: =5pF+10pF=15 pF (©) The same potential difference ¥ = 1000 V is across each capacitor (Fig. 26-4), The charge on the S-pF capacitor is a=cr and that on the 10-pF capacitor is Or = GP = (10x 10-7 F)(10 V) = 10-8 C ($x 10" FI V) =5 x 10-7 C ENERGY OF A CHARGED CAPACITOR To produce the electric field in a charged capacitor, work must be done to separate the positive and negative charges. This work is stored as electric potential energy in the capacitor. The potential energy W of a capacitor of capacitance C whose charge is Q and whose potential difference is V is given by wajov =1cr=3(2) SOLVED PROBLEM 26.12 How much energy is stored in a 50-pF capacitor when it is charged to a potential difference of 200 V? W = ACV? = (50 x 10"? F}(200 V)? = 10-65 SOLVED PROBLEM 26.13 ‘A 100-xF capacitor is to have an energy content of $0 J to operate a flashlamp. (a) What voltage is required to charge the capacitor? (6) How much charge passes through the flashlamp?314 CAPACITANCE [CHAP 26 (@) Since W =4C7?, () . Q=CVY = (10 FY(10? V) =0.1C ~ CHARGING A CAPACITOR ‘When a capacitor is being charged in a circuit such as that of Fig. 26-5, at any moment the voltage QIC across itis in the opposite direction to the battery voltage V and thus tends to oppose the flow of additional charge. For’ this reason a capacitor does not acquire its final charge the instant it is connected to a battery or other source of emf. The net potential difference when the charge on the capacitor is Q is V ~ (Q/Q), and the current is then 72 42_¥- (0/0) ‘at R As Q increases, its rate of increase 1 = AQ/At decreases. Figure 26-6 shows how Q, measured in percent of final change, varies with time when a capacitor is being charged; the switch of Fig. 26-5 is closed at ¢ = 0. The product RC of the resistance R in the circuit and the capacitance C governs the rate at which the capacitor reaches its ultimate charge of Jy = CV. The product RC is called the time constant T of the circuit. After a time equal to T; the charge on the capacitor is 63 percent of its final value. 7 Fig. 265 (Qs Percent of Final Charge Qo 0 RE 2RC BRC FRE Time Fig. 26-6CHAP. 26) (CAPACITANCE, 315 ‘The formula that governs the growth of charge in the circuit of Fig. 26-5 is = Oo(1 ~e~!7) where Qo is the final charge CV and T'is the time constant RC, Figure 26-6 is a graph of this formula. The quantity e has the value ne pene e=2.718 and is often found in equations in engineering and science. A quantity that consists of e raised to a power is called an exponential, To find the value of e* or e~*, an electronic calculator or a suitable table can be used. Exponentials are sometimes written expxor exp (—x) instead of" ore *. Themeaning is exactly the same, It is easy to see why Q reaches 63 percent of Qo in time 7. When t = =a,(1- ) = att 037) = 0.8804 dT =1 and Q=O(1—er! DISCHARGING A CAPACITOR When a charged capacitor is discharged through a resistance, as in Fig. 26-7, the decrease in charge is governed by the formula = oe! where again T= RC is the time constant. The charge will fll to 37 percent of its original value after time T (Fig. 26-8). The smaller the time constant 7, the more rapidly a capacitor can be charged or discharged. © —— Fig. 26-7 SOLVED PROBLEM 26.14 ‘A 20-uF capacitor is connected to a 45-V battery through a circuit whose resistance is 2000 Q. (@) What is the final charge on the capacitor? (6) How long does it take for the charge to reach 63 percent of its final value? (@) Q= CV = (20x 10-* FIGS V) =9x 10-4 ® 1 = RC = (2000 9)(20 x 10-* F) = 0.045 SOLVED PROBLEM 26.15 Find the charge on the capacitor of Prob. 26.14 at 0.01 and 0.1 s after the connection to the battery is made.316 CAPACITANCE [CHAP 26 @” a i) Fe é 2a 2 a °o RE IRC RE TRE Time Fig. 26-8 When 1= 0.01 5, dT = (0.01 3)(0.04 s) = 0.25. Using a calculator or table of exponentials gives eT = oF 20.78 Hence =20x 10-+C = Qol1—e-I7) = (9 x 10-4 C)(1 ~ 0.78) = (9 x 10 €)(0.22) Similarly, when f= 0.1 s, dT= (0.1 3¥(0.04 s) = 2.5 and el =e? = 0.082 Hence = Qo(1 ~ e-!7) = (9 x 10-4 C)(1 ~ 0.082) = (9 x 10-4 €)(0.918) = 8.3 x 10-4 SOLVED PROBLEM 26.16 ‘A S-uF capacitor is charged by being connected to a 3-V battery. The battery is then disconnected. (a) If the resistance of the dielectric material between the capacitor plates is 10° Q, find the time required for the charge on the capacitor to drop to 37 percent of its original value. (5) What is the charge remaining on the capacitor | h after it has been disconnected? What is the charge 10 h afterward? . (2) T = RC = (10° 2)(5 x 10° F) =S x 10's 5x1? s wach {Fin} (60 in/R) ~ (©) The inal charge onthe capacitor i Qo =) (5 x 10° F)(3 V) After t= 1h, dT = (1 h)(1.4 h) = 0.71, and D= QoeF = (1.5 x 10-5 C)(e°%) = (1.5 x 10-5 €)(0.49) = 7.4 10-4 After t= 10 b, dT = (10 hV(1.4 b) = 7.1, and Q= Quer! = (1.5 x 10-5 C)(e-74) = (1.5 x 10-$ C)(8.3 x 1074) 12x 10-*CCHAP. 26) CAPACITANCE, 317 263. 26.4. 265. 26.6. 267. 26.9, Multiple-Choice Questions An electri field £ is present between the pate ofa charged capacitor If slab of insulating material is inserted between the plates, the new electric field there is ee (@) smaller than Z (6) larger than E OE (@ any of the above, depending on the material ‘The distance between the plates ofa paralel-plate capacitor of capacitance C is doubled and their area is halved. The capacitor now has a capacitance of @ c%& © 2 mc @ 4 A parallel-plate capacitor with air between its plates has an energy of W when it is charged until a potential difference of V appears across its plates. An otherwise identical capacitor has a material of dielectric constant K = 2 between its plates and is also charged to the potential difference ¥ The energy of the second capacitor is (a) WR () 2 Ow ow A capacitor connected to a 24-V battery has a charge of 0.004 C. Its capacitance is, (@) 1.67 nF (6) 167 uF © OnF — @) 004 F A charged 50-yF capacitor has an energy of | J. The voltage across it is @ iv @ 2K © 20V @ 4K The capacitance ofa parallel plate capacitor is 20 uF in air and 42 pF when Teflon is between its plates Teflon has a dielectric constant of (a) 048 (c) 21 Oi @ a2 ‘The equivalent resistance of two 20-uF capacitors in series is @ O01 pF (@) 30yF © 10uF @) 40uF ‘The equivalent resistance of two 20-F capacitors in parallel is (@) O01 uF (ec) 304F © uF @) 40uF A charged 50-F capacitor is discharged through a 1.0-kM resistor. The charge on the capacitor will drop to 37 percent of its original value in (@ 50s (@) 25 ms (0) 20ms (@)_ 50 ms318 26.1. 262. 263. 26.4, 265. 26.7. 26.8. 269. 26.10. 26.11. 26.12. 26.13. 26.14, 26.15. 26.16. 26.17. 26.18. CAPACITANCE (CHAR. 26 Supplementary Problems Verify that RC has the dimensions of time. ‘A 10-aF capacitor basa poteaial difference of 250 V across it. What isthe charge on the capacitor? ‘A capacitor has a charge of 0.002 C when it s connected across a 100-V battery, Find its capacitance. ‘What isthe potential diference across a 500-pF capacitor whose charge is 0.3 uC? ‘The plates of a parallelplate capacitor have areas of 40 em? and are separated by 0.2 mm of waxed paper (K = 2.2), Find the capacitance. ‘The waxed paper is removed from between the plates of the capecitor of Prob. 26.5. Find the new capacitance. ‘The plates of a parallel-plate capacitor of capacitance C are moved closer together until they are half their original separation. What is the new capacitance? ‘The capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor is increased from 8 to 50 pF when a sheet of glass is inserted between its plates. What is the dielectric constant K of the glass? lent ‘Three capacitors whose capacitances are 5, 10, and 20 uF are connected in series. Find the equi capacitance of the combination. The three capacitors of Prob. 26.9 are connected in parallel. Find the equivalent capacitance of the combination. List the capacitance that can be obtained by combining three 10-F capacitors in all possible ways. ‘A.20- and a 25-pF capacitor are connected in parallel, and a potential difference of 100 V is applied to the combination. Find the charge on each capacitor and the potential difference across it. ‘A 50- and a 75-pF capacitor are connected in series, and a potential difference of 250 V is applied tothe combination. Find the charge on each capacitor and the potential difference across it A S-uF capacitor has a potential difference of 1000 V. What is its potential energy? (a) What potential difference must be applied across a 10-F capacitor if i s to have an energy content of 1 J? (6) What is the charge on the capacitor under these circumstances? ‘The dielectric between the plates of a certain 80-uF capacitor has a resistance of 10” Q. If the capacitor is charged and then disconnected, how long will it take for the charge on the capacitor to fall to 37 percent of its original value? A S-uF capacitor is connected to a 100-V battery through a circuit whose resistance is 800 ©. (a) What js the time constant of this arrangement? (b) What is the initial current that flows when the battery is connected? (c) What is the final charge on the capacitor? Find the charge on the capacitor of Prob. 26.17 at 0.001, 0.005, and 0.01 s after the connection to the battery is made.CHAP. 26) CAPACITANCE, 319 26,19. The resistance of the dielectric between the plates of the capacitor of Prob. 26.17 is 10.9. If the ‘capacitor is disconnected from the battery, find the charge remaining on it 30 s, 1 min, and 10 min later.