Electrostatic Potential and

Capacitance
2.2 Electrostatic Potential 2.10 Dielectics and Polarisation
2.3 Potential due to a Point Charge 2.11 Capacitors and Capacitance
2.4 Potential due to an Electric Dipole 2.12 The Parallel Plate Capacitor
2.5 Potential due to a System of Charges 2.13 Effect of Dielectric on Capacitance
2.6 Equipotential Surfaces 2.14 Combination of Capacitors
2.7 Potential Energy of a System of Charges 2.15 Energy Stored in a Capacitor
2.8 Potential Energy in an External Field 2.16 Van de Graaff Generator
2.9 Electrostatics of Conductors

Topicwise Analysis of Last 10 Years’ CBSE Board Questions (2016-2007)

VSA SA I SA II VBQ LA

5
Number of questions

0
2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16
Topic

8 Maximum weightage is of Energy Stored in a 8 Maximum SA II type questions were asked from
Capacitor. Energy Stored in a Capacitor.
8 Maximum VSA and SA I type questions were
asked from Equipotential surfaces.
 KEY POINTS

8 Electric potential : Electric potential at a point on the equatorial line of the dipole, i.e.,
is defined as amount of work done in bringing a q = 90° \ V = 0.
unit positive charge from infinity to that point. X Electric potential due to a uniformly charged
It is denoted by symbol V. spherical shell of uniform surface charge
density s and radius R at a distance r from the
W
V= centre the shell is given as follows :
q
– At a point outside the shell i.e., r > R
X Electric potential is a scalar quantity. The SI unit
of potential is volt and its dimensional formula sR2 1 q
=
V =
is [ML2T–3A–1]. e0r 4 pe0 r
X Electric potential at a point distant r from a – At a point on the shell i.e., r = R
point charge q is sR 1 q
=
V =
q e0 4 pe0 R
V=
4 pe0 r – At a point inside the shell i.e., r < R
X Electric potential due to group of charges : The sR 1 q
electric potential at a point due to a group of =
V =
e0 4 pe0 R
charges is equal to the algebraic sum of the
Here, q = 4pR2s
electric potentials due to individual charges at
that point. The variation of V with r for a uniformly charged
thin spherical shell is shown in the figure.
1  q1 q2 q3 q 
=V  + + + ... n 
4 pe0  r1 r2 r3 rn 
n q
1
=
4 pe0 ∑ rii
i =1

X Electric potential at any point due to an electric

dipole X Electric potential due to a non-conducting
solid sphere of uniform volume charge density
r and radius R at distant r from the sphere is
given as follows :
X At a point outside the sphere i.e., r > R
r R3 1 q
=
V =
3e0r 4 pe0 r
The electric potential at point P due to an X At a point on the sphere i.e., r = R
electric dipole rR2 1 q
 =
V =
1 p cos q 1 p ⋅ ^r 3e0 4 pe0 R
= V =
4 pe0 r 2 4 pe0 r 2
X At a point inside the sphere i.e., r < R
– At axial point : When the point P lies on the
2 2
axial line of dipole i.e., q = 0°. r (3R − r ) 1 q(3R2 − r 2 )
V= =
p 3e0 2 4 pe0 2R3
V= .
4 pe0 r 2 4 3
Here q = pR r
– At equatorial point : When the point P lies 3
 8 Equipotential surface : A surface on which – Electric potential is constant throughtout
the electric potential is constant is known as the volume of the conductor and has the
equipotential surface. same value (as inside) on its surface.
X Properties of an equipotential surface : – Electric field at the surface of a charged
 s
– Electric field lines are always perpendicular conductor, E = n^
e0
to an equipotential surface.
– Work done in moving an electric charge from where s is the surface charge density and n^
one point to another on an equipotential is a unit vector normal to the surface in the
surface is zero. outward direction.
X Electrostatic shielding : It is the phenomenon
– Two equipotential surfaces can never
of protecting a certain region of space from
intersect one another.
  external electric field.
8 Relationship between E and V
  8 Polar and non-polar molecule
E = −∇V X Polar molecule : A polar molecule is one in which
   the centres of positive and negative charges
where ∇ = ^i ∂ + ^j ∂ + k^ ∂  are separated (even when there is no external
 ∂x ∂y ∂z 
 field). A polar molecule has a permanent dipole

–ve sign shows that the direction of E is the moment e.g., water (H2O) and HCl.
direction of decreasing potential. X Non-polar molecule : A non-polar molecule is
8 Electric potential energy one in which the centres of positive and negative
X Electric potential energy of a system of two charges coincide. A non polar molecule has no
permanent dipole moment. e.g., oxygen (O2)
point charges
and hydrogen (H2).
1 q1q2
U= 8 Capacitance : Capacitance (C) of a capacitor is
4 pe0 r12
the ratio of charge(Q) given and the potential
where r12 is the distance between q1 and q2.
(V) to which it is raised. i.e., C = Q/V.
X Electric potential energy of a system of n point
X The SI unit of capacitance is farad (F).
charges
– 1 millifarad (mF) = 10–3 farad
1 q j qk
– 1 microfarad (mF) = 10–6 farad
= U
4 pe0 ∑ rjk
;j>k
all pairs – 1 picofarad (pF) = 10–12 farad.
X The dimensional formula of capacitance is
X The SI unit of electric potential energy is joule.
[M–1L–2T4A2].
X Conductors : Those substances which can
X Capacitance of a spherical conductor of radius
easily allow electricity to pass through them
R is C = 4pe0R
are known as conductors. They have a large
Taking earth to be a conducting sphere of radius
number of free charge carriers that are free to
6400 km, its capacity will be
move inside the material. e.g., metals, human
beings, earth etc. 6.4 × 106
=C 4=
pe0 R = 711 m F
X Basic electrostatics properties of a conductor 9 × 109
are as follows :
8 Capacitor : A condenser or a capacitor is a
– Inside a conductor, electric field is zero.
device that stores electric charge. It consists of
– At the surface of a charged conductor, two conductors separated by an insulator or
electric field must be normal to the surface dielectric. The two conductors carry equal and
at every point. opposite charges ±Q.
– The interior of a conductor can have no X Capacitance of an air filled parallel plate
excess charge in the static situation. capacitor
 e0 A CP = C1 + C2 + .... + Cn
C= X When capacitors are connected in series,
d
the charge through each capacitor is same.
where A is area of each plate and d is separation
When capacitors are connected in parallel, the
between the two plates.
potential difference across each capacitor is
X Capacitance of an air filled spherical capacitor
same.
ab
C = 4 pe0 X When two capacitors charged to different
b−a
potentials are connected by a conducting wire,
where a and b are the inner and outer radii. charge flows from the one at higher potential to
X Capacitance of an air filled cylindrical the other at lower potential till their potentials
capacitor become equal. The equal potential is called
2pe0 L common potential (V), where
C=
b total charge Q + Q2 C1V1 + C2V2
ln   =V = 1 =
a total capacity C1 + C2 C1 + C2
where a and b are the inner and outer radii and It should be clearly understood that in sharing
L is the length. charges, there is absolutely no loss of charge.
X Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor Some energy is, however, lost in the process in
with a dielectric slab of dielectric constant K, the form of heat etc. which is given by
completely filled between the plates of the
capacitor, is given by C1C2 (V1 − V2 )2
U1 − U 2 = .
K e0 A e0 er A 2(C1 + C2 )
=C =
d d 8 Energy stored in a capacitor : Work done in
X When a dielectric slab of thickness t and charging a capacitor gets stored in the capacitor
dielectric constant K is introduced between the in the form of its electric potential energy and
plates, then the capacitance of a parallel plate it is given by
capacitor is given by 1 1 1 Q2
=U =CV 2 QV =
e0 A 2 2 2 C
C=
 1 X Energy density : The energy stored per unit
d − t 1 −  volume in the electric field between the plates is
 K
known as energy density (u). It is given by
X When a metallic conductor of thickness t is
1
introduced between the plates, then capacitance U = e0 E 2
2
of a parallel plate capacitor is given by
X When a dielectric slab of dielectric constant K
e A
C= 0 is introduced between the plates of a charged
d −t parallel plate capacitor and the charging battery
8 Combination of capacitors in series and remains connected, then
parallel – Potential difference between the plates
X Capacitors in series : For n capacitors connected remains constant i.e., V = V0
in series the equivalent capacitance CS is given – Capacitance C increases i.e., C = KC0
by – Charge on a capacitor increases i.e.,
1 1 1 1 Q = KQ0
= + + .... +
CS C1 C2 Cn – Electric field between the plates remains
X Capacitors in parallel : For n capacitors unchanged i.e., E = E0
connected in parallel, the equivalent capacitance – Energy stored in a capacitor increases
CP is given by i.e., U = KU0
X When a dielectric slab of dielectric constant K where Q0 , C0 , V0 , E0 and U0 represents the
is introduced in between the plates of a charged charge, capacitance, potential difference,
parallel plate capacitor and the charging battery electric field and energy stored in the
is disconnected, then capacitor of a charged air filled parallel plate
– Charge remains unchanged i.e., Q = Q0 capacitor.
– Capacitance increases i.e., C = KC0
– Potential difference between the plates
V
decreases i.e., V = 0
K
– Electric field between the plates decreases
E
i.e., E = 0
K
– Energy stored in the capacitor decreases
U
i.e., U = 0
K