0//o t,c;;cc 1 t /

1o/ N//// t;1 1//

Capacitance
Capacitance is the measure of the size of a capacitor,
defined by the surface area of the plates in the
capacitor, and the plate separation. It also depend son
the dielectric constant of the dielectric material which
separates the two plates which make up a capacitor.


d
A
C
o

= , CV Q =



To make the dielectric material more suitable (and thus the capacitor more efficient)
the dielectric material should
Be an insulator
Have polarised molecules


Energy from Capacitors
The electric potential at a point is the work done in moving a charge from 0 to . The
work done charging a capacitor is stored in the electric field of the capacitor.

2
2
1
2
1
get we
using
so
and
know We
CV U E
CV Q
QV U
V Q U
CV Q
= =
=
=
=
=






Dialectic
Material

+ -
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Combining Capacitors in Series

3 2 1
3 2 1
3 2 1
3 2 1
1 1 1 1
Using;
Second; s Kirchoff'
capacitor; each On
C C C C
C
Q
C
Q
C
Q
C
Q
V
V V V V
Q Q Q Q
C
Q
+ + =
+ + =
=
+ + =
= = =


Combining Capacitors in Parallel
2 1
2 1
2 1
2 1
Using;
Parallel; In
capacitor; each On
C C C
V C V C CV
V
V V V
Q Q Q
C
Q
+ =
+ =
=
= =
+ =





C
1
C
2
C
3

C
C
C
1

C
2

C
0//o t,c;;cc 1 /
1o/ N//// t;1 1//
Discharging a Capacitor through a Resistor


Initially,
Q
0
is the charge in the capacitor
V
0
is the voltage across the capacitor

At a time t during discharge,
V is the voltage across the capacitor
V
R
is the voltage across the resistor
Q is the remaining charge



[ ] [ ]
( ) ( ) [ ]
CR
t
Q Q
CR
t
Q
CR
t
CR
Q Q
Q t
CR
Q
dQ
dt
CR
t time
Q
dQ
RC
dt
dt
dQ
RC
Q
R
dt
dQ
C
Q
R
dt
dQ
I
IR
C
Q
IR V CV Q
V V
emf V
o
Q
Q
Q
Q
e
Q
Q e
t
Q
Q
t
R

=
=

=
=

=
=
=
+ =
=
+ =
= =
+ =
=

) ln(
ln ln
ln 0
1 1
ln log Since
log
1
1
0 period In the
C
Q
0
charge of change of Rate Since
0
and From
0
Since
0
0
0
0
0
0






RC
t
RC
t
RC
t
e V V
e CV CV
CV Q
CV Q
e Q Q
e
Q
Q
RC
t

=
=

=
=
=
=

0
0
0 0
0
0
ng Substituti
Since


RC is known as the time
constant of the circuit.