LECTURE-5

CAPACITANCE
 Capacitor
• Capacitor is a device in which electrical energy can be stored.
• For example, the batteries in a camera store energy in the photoflash
unit by charging a capacitor.
• The batteries can supply energy at only a modest rate, too slowly for
the photoflash unit to emit a flash of light.
• However, once the capacitor is charged, it can supply energy at a much
greater rate when the photoflash unit is triggered—enough energy to
allow the unit to emit a burst of bright light.
Real Life Uses:
1. Camera Flash 9. Power Factor Correction Systems
2. Fans 10. Safety Circuits
3. Emergency Shutdown 11. Power Conditioning Systems
System for Computers 12. Random Access Memory
4. Audio Equipment 13. Charge-Coupled Devices
5. AC to DC Converters 14. Coupling and Decoupling Circuits
6. Energy Storing Devices 15. Timing Element
7. Sensors 16. Pulsed Input Power and Trigger
8. Tuning Circuits Systems for Weapons
 Capacitance
• Two conductors, isolated electrically from each other and from their
surroundings, form a capacitor.
• When the capacitor is charged, the charges on the conductors, or
plates as they are called, have the same magnitude 𝑞 but opposite
signs.
• A parallel-plate capacitor, made up of two plates of area 𝐴 separated by a
distance 𝑑.
• The charges on the facing plate surfaces have the same magnitude 𝑞 but
opposite signs.

• The symbol we use to represent a capacitor

• As the field lines show, the electric field due to the charged plates is uniform
in the central region between the plates.
• The field is not uniform at the edges of the plates, as indicated by the
“fringing” of the field lines there.
• The charge 𝑞 and the potential difference 𝑉 for a capacitor are
proportional to each other; that is,
𝑞 = 𝐶𝑉

• The SI unit of capacitance is the coulomb per volt.

• This unit occurs so often that it is given a special name, the 𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑 (𝐹):
1 𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 1 𝐹 = 1 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑏 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡 = 1 𝐶/𝑉
 Charging a Capacitor
-Paralel Plate Capacitor-
• One way to charge a capacitor is to place it in an electric circuit with a
battery.

• When the circuit is completed, electrons are driven through the wires
by an electric field that the battery sets up in the wires. The field
drives electrons from capacitor plate ℎ to the positive terminal of the
battery; thus, plate ℎ, losing electrons, becomes positively charged.
• As the plates become oppositely charged, that potential difference
increases until it equals the potential difference 𝑉 between the
terminals of the battery.
• Then plate ℎ and the positive terminal of the battery are at the same
potential.
• Similarly, plate 𝑙 and the negative terminal reach the same potential.
• Thus, with the zero electric field, there is no further drive of electrons
between the plates.
• The capacitor is then said to be fully charged, with a potential
difference 𝑉 and charge 𝑞.
 Calculating the Capacitance
• To relate the electric field between the plates of a capacitor to the charge 𝑞 on
either plate, we shall use Gauss’ law

𝜀! % 𝐸 ' 𝑑 𝐴⃗ = 𝑞 → 𝑞 = 𝜀! 𝐸𝐴

• The potential difference between the plates of a capacitor is related to the field.
• We shall always choose a path that follows an electric field line: from the negative
plate to the positive plate.
" %
𝑉" − 𝑉# = − . 𝐸 ' 𝑑 𝑠⃗ → 𝑉 = . 𝐸𝑑𝑠
# $
• We draw a Gaussian surface that encloses just the charge 𝑞 on the
positive plate
𝑞 = 𝜀!𝐸𝐴
where 𝐴 is the area of the plate.
# $
𝑉 = ; 𝐸𝑑𝑠 = 𝐸 ; 𝑑𝑠 = 𝐸𝑑
" !

%!
Parallel-plate capacitor: (𝜀! = 8.85×10 "#$
&'( !
= 8.85×10"#$
)
(
= 8.85 𝑝𝐹/𝑚)

𝑞 𝜀!𝐴
𝐶= =
𝑉 𝑑
 Cylindrical Capacitor
𝑞 = 𝜀!𝐸𝐴 = 𝜀!𝐸 2𝜋𝑟𝐿

𝑞
𝐸=
2𝜋𝜀!𝐿𝑟
𝑑𝑠 = −𝑑𝑟

# &
𝑞 𝑑𝑟 𝑞 𝑏
𝑉 = ; 𝐸𝑑𝑠 = − ; = ln
" 2𝜋𝜀!𝐿 % 𝑟 2𝜋𝜀!𝐿 𝑎

'
Cylindrical capacitor: 𝐶 = 2𝜋𝜀!
() %/&
 Spherical Capacitor
𝑞 = 𝜀!𝐸𝐴 = 𝜀!E 4𝜋𝑟 +

1 𝑞
𝐸=
4𝜋𝜀! 𝑟 +

# &
𝑞 𝑑𝑟 𝑞 1 1 𝑞 𝑏−𝑎
𝑉 = ; 𝐸𝑑𝑠 = − ; += − =
" 4𝜋𝜀! % 𝑟 4𝜋𝜀! 𝑎 𝑏 4𝜋𝜀! 𝑎𝑏

&%
Spherical capacitor: 𝐶 = 4𝜋𝜀!
%"&
 An Isolated Sphere

𝑎𝑏
𝐶 = 4𝜋𝜀!
𝑏−𝑎

If we let 𝑏 → ∞ and substitute 𝑅 for 𝑎, we find

𝐶 = 4𝜋𝜀!𝑅
 Capacitors in Parallel and in Series
• Capacitors in Parallel (par-V)
Three capacitors connected in parallel to battery 𝐵, the battery maintains
potential difference 𝑉 across its terminals and thus across each capacitor. The
equivalent capacitor, with capacitance 𝐶,- replaces the parallel combination.
𝑞. = 𝐶.𝑉, 𝑞+ = 𝐶+𝑉, 𝑞/ = 𝐶/𝑉
𝑞 = 𝑞. + 𝑞+ + 𝑞/ = 𝐶. + 𝐶+ + 𝐶/ 𝑉
𝑞
𝐶,- = = 𝐶. + 𝐶+ + 𝐶/
𝑉
𝑛 capacitors in parallel: 𝐶,- = ∑201. 𝐶0
• Capacitors in Series (seri-q)
The equivalent capacitor replaces the series combination.
𝑞 𝑞 𝑞
𝑉. = , 𝑉+ = , 𝑉/ =
𝐶. 𝐶+ 𝐶/
1 1 1
𝑉 = 𝑉. + 𝑉+ + 𝑉/ = 𝑞 + +
𝐶. 𝐶+ 𝐶/

𝑞 1 1 1 1 1
𝐶,- = = → = + +
𝑉 1 1 1 𝐶,- 𝐶. 𝐶+ 𝐶/
+ +
𝐶. 𝐶+ 𝐶/

. 2 .
𝑛 capacitors in series: = ∑01.
3!" 3
#
Example:
Find the equivalent capacitance for the combination of the
capacitances shown in figure, across which potential
difference 𝑉 is applied. Assume 𝐶& = 12.0 𝜇𝐹 , 𝐶' = 5.30 𝜇𝐹
and 𝐶( = 4.50 𝜇𝐹.

𝐶&' = 𝐶& + 𝐶' = 17.3 𝜇𝐹

1 1 1 1 1
= + = + = 0.280 𝜇𝐹 $&
𝐶&'( 𝐶&' 𝐶( 17.3 𝜇𝐹 4.50 𝜇𝐹

1
𝐶&'( = $&
= 3.57 𝜇𝐹
0.280 𝜇𝐹
 Energy Stored in an Electric Field
𝑞 4
𝑑𝑊 = 𝑉 4 𝑑𝑞4 = 𝑑𝑞4
𝐶
• The work required to bring the total capacitor up to a final value 𝑞 is

1 - 4 4 𝑞+
𝑊 = ; 𝑑𝑊 = ; 𝑞 𝑑𝑞 =
𝐶 ! 2𝐶

• This work is stored as potential energy U in the capacitor, so that

+
𝑞+ 1 + 𝑈 𝐶𝑉 + 1 𝑉 1
𝑈= = 𝐶𝑉 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢 = = = 𝜀! = 𝜀!𝐸 +
2𝐶 2 𝐴𝑑 2𝐴𝑑 2 𝑑 2
Example:
An isolated conducting sphere whose radius 𝑅 is 6.85 𝑐𝑚 has a charge
𝑞 = 1.25 𝑛𝐶. (a) How much potential Energy is stored in the electric field
of this charged conductor? (b) What is the Energy density at the surface
of the sphere?

𝑞+ 𝑞+ 1.25×10"5 + "6 𝐽
𝑈= = = = 1.03×10
2𝐶 8𝜋𝜀!𝑅 8𝜋 8.85×10".+ 6.85×10"+
+
1 +
1 1 𝑞 𝑞+ "8 𝐽⁄𝑚/
𝑢 = 𝜀!𝐸 = 𝜀! = = 2.54×10
2 2 4𝜋𝜀! 𝑅+ 32𝜋 +𝜀!𝑅7
 Capacitor with Dielectric
1 𝑞
𝐸=
4𝜋𝜿𝜀! 𝑟 +
The electric field just outside an isolated conductor immersed in a dielectric

𝜎
𝐸=
𝜿𝜀!
Because 𝜿 is always greater than unity, both of these equations Show that for
a fixed charge distribution, the effect of a dielectric is to weaken the electric
field that would otherwise be present.
Example:
A parallel plate capacitor whose capacitance 𝐶 is 13.5 𝑝𝐹 is charged by a
battery to a potential difference 𝑉 = 12.5 𝑉 between its plates. The
charging battery is now disconnected and a porcelain slab (𝜿 = 6.50) is
slipped between the plates. (a) What is the potential energy of the capacitor
before the slab is inserted? (b) What is the potential energy of the
capacitor-slab device after the slab is inserted? (c) Work?
1 + 1
𝑈9 = 𝐶𝑉 = 13.5×10".+ 12.5 + = 1.055×10"5 𝐽
2 2
𝑞+ 𝑈9 1.055×10"5
𝑈: = = = = 1.62×10".! 𝐽
2𝜿𝐶 𝜿 6.50
𝑊 = −∆𝑈 = 𝑈9 − 𝑈: = 8.93×10".! 𝐽 = 893 𝑝𝐽
 Gauss’ Law with Dielectric
• A parallel-plate capacitor without and with a dielectric slab inserted.
• The charge 𝑞 on the plates is assumed to be same in both cases.

• Gauss’ law with dielectric:

𝜀! \ 𝜿𝐸 ] 𝑑𝐴⃗ = 𝑞
Example:
Figure shows a parallel-plate capacitor of plate area 𝐴 and plate separation d.
A potential difference 𝑉! is applied between the plates by connecting a
battery between them. The battery is then disconnected, and a dielectric slab
of thickness 𝑏 and dielectric constant 𝜿 is placed between the plates as
shown. Assume 𝐴 = 115 𝑐𝑚+ , 𝑑 = 1.24 𝑐𝑚, 𝑉! = 85.5 𝑉, 𝑏 = 0.780 𝑐𝑚
and 𝜿 = 2.61. (a) What is the capacitance 𝐶! before the dielectric slab is
inserted? (b) What free charge appears on the plates?

𝜀!𝐴 8.85×10".+ 115×10"7

𝐶! = =
𝑑 1.24×10"+
𝐶! = 8.21×10".+ 𝐹 = 8.21 𝑝𝐹
𝑞 = 𝐶!𝑉! = 8.21×10".+ 85.5
𝑞 = 7.02×10".! 𝐶 = 702 𝑝𝐶
Problem-1:
• How many 1.00 𝜇𝐹capacitors must be connected in parallel to store a
charge of 1.00 𝐶 with a potential of 110 𝑉 across the capacitors?

The equivalent capacitance is 𝐶,- = 𝑞⁄𝑉 and for 𝑁 identical capacitors

in parallel 𝐶,- = 𝑁𝐶.
𝑞
𝐶,- = 𝑁𝐶 =
𝑉
𝑞 1.00 /
𝑁= = = 9.09×10
𝑉𝐶 110 1×10";
Problem-2:
• Each of the uncharged capacitors in the figure has a capacitance of
25.0 𝜇𝐹. A potential difference of 𝑉 = 4200 𝑉 is established when the
switch is closed. How many coulombs of charge then pass through
meter 𝐴?

𝐶,- = 3𝐶

𝑞 = 𝐶,- 𝑉 = 3𝐶𝑉

𝑞 = 3 25.0×10"; 4200 = 0.315 𝐶

Problem-3:

• In the figure, find the equivalent capacitance of the combination.

Assume that 𝐶. is 10.0 𝜇𝐹, 𝐶+ is 5.00 𝜇𝐹 and 𝐶/ is 4.00 𝜇𝐹.
. . . 3$ 3%
= + → 𝐶.+ =
3$% 3$ 3% 3$ #3%

3$ 3%
𝐶,- = 𝐶/ + 𝐶.+ = 𝐶/ +
3$ #3%

.!.! 8.!!
𝐶,- = 4.00 + = 7.33 𝜇𝐹
.!.!#8.!!
Problem-4:
• In the figure, find the equivalent capacitance of the combination.
Assume that 𝐶. is 10.0 𝜇𝐹, 𝐶+ is 5.00 𝜇𝐹 and 𝐶/ is 4.00 𝜇𝐹.

𝐶.+ = 𝐶. + 𝐶+

1 1 1 1 1 1
= + → = +
𝐶,- 𝐶/ 𝐶.+ 𝐶,- 𝐶/ 𝐶. + 𝐶+

𝐶. + 𝐶+ 𝐶/ 10.0 + 5.00 4.00

𝐶,- = = = 3.16 𝜇𝐹
𝐶. + 𝐶+ + 𝐶/ 10.0 + 5.00 + 4.00
Problem-5:
Problem-6:
Problem-7:
• Find the equivalent capacitance and the equivalent charge of the
circuit given below.

• Answer: 2𝜇𝐹, 2.4×10!" 𝐶.

Problem-8:
• Find the equivalent capacitance and the equivalent charge of the
circuit given below.

• Answer: 3𝜇𝐹, 7.2×10!" 𝐶

Problem-9:
Find the equivalent C. (Answer: 8 µF)
Problem-10:
What is the capacitance between terminals 𝑎 and 𝑏?
Problem-11:
What is the capacitance between terminals 𝑎 and 𝑏?
Problem-12:
Find the equivalent capacitances of the circuits given below.
Problem-13:
Consider the circuit diagram given. Suppose each capacitor has a capacitance of 𝐶 =
2 𝜇𝐹 and a potential difference of 𝑉 = 5 𝑉 is set between terminals 𝑎 and 𝑏.

• What is the capacitance between terminals 𝑎 and 𝑏?

• Calculate the equivalent charge of the circuit.
Problem-14:
Switch S is closed to connect the uncharged capacitor of capacitance 𝐶 = 0.25 𝑚𝐹 to
the battery of potential difference 𝑉 = 12 𝑉, as seen in figure. The lower capacitor
plate has thickness 𝐿 = 0.50 𝑐𝑚 and face area 𝐴 = 2.0×10!# 𝑚 $ , and it consists of
copper, in which the density of conduction electrons is 𝑛 = 8.49×10$% 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠/
𝑚 & . From what depth 𝑑 within the plate must electrons move to the plate face as the
capacitor becomes charged?