QUIZ III BB based Chapter 24

Question 1 If the voltage between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor is doubled, the capacitance
of the capacitor
is doubled.
is tripled.
quadruples.
remains the same.
is halved.
Explanation: Remember that you can only change the capacitance by changing the area A, the separation
distance d and or the medium between the plates. Increasing the voltage will result in increasing the charge
q to maintain a constant q/V ratio which is the capacitance.

Question 2 A parallel-plate capacitor is charged by a battery and then the battery is removed and a
dielectric of constant K is used to fill the gap between the plates. Inserting the dielectric changes the
energy stored by a factor of
K - 1.
K.
1/K.
1 (no change).
2.
Explanation: The capacitor was charged to some charge q. Since you removed the capacitor (isolated) from
the circuit, it will no longer accept new charges and it cannot lose any of the stored charges. Adding a
dielectric block between the plates will result in reducing the voltage and electric field by a factor K while
increasing the permittivity and capacitance by the same factor K. The energy equation involving C and V is
U = (1/2) CV2. The new energy is then (KC)(V/K)2. The new energy is reduced by a factor 1/K.
Question 3 A dielectric is inserted between the plates of an isolated parallel-plate capacitor that
carries a charge Q. What happens to the potential energy stored in the capacitor?
The potential energy of the capacitor increases or decreases depending on the value of the dielectric
constant of the capacitor.
The potential energy of the capacitor decreases.
The potential energy of the capacitor remains the same.
The potential energy of the capacitor increases.
More information is needed to answer the question.
Explanation: This is pretty much the same as the one before. Since K is never less than 1 (should be more
than 1). The potential energy for an ISOLATED Capacitor (no extra charges are allowed in) should decrease.

Question 4 If the voltage between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor is doubled, the charge on
the capacitor
is tripled.
quadruples.
is halved.
remains the same.
is doubled.
Explanation: This is NOT an isolated capacitor and the charge is allowed to change. The capacitor itself
remains physically the same (and the medium between the plates remains the same). Therefore, the
capacitance C should remain the same. C = Q/V should be constant. Doubling V will double Q. Be careful,
the conditions stated here must be all met.
Question 5 Capacitors in series share the same charge and capacitors in parallel share the same
voltage.
True
False

Explanation: Absolutely.
Question 6 Three identical capacitors are connected in series to a battery. If a total charge of Q flows
from the battery, how much charge does each capacitor carry?
3Q
9Q
Q
Q/3
Q/9
Explanation: In series, the charge is the same across each capacitor.

Question 7 As more and more capacitors are connected in parallel, the equivalent capacitance of the
combination increases.
True
False

Explanation: Capacitance values when in parallel just add up. The equivalent capacitance should be larger
than the largest.

Question 8 When two or more capacitors are connected in parallel to a battery,

each capacitor carries the same amount of charge.
the equivalent capacitance of the combination is less than the capacitance of any one of the
capacitors.
the voltage across each capacitor is the same.
all of the given answers
none of the given answers
Explanation: Weve seen this one above. In parallel, the capacitors all have the same voltage (NOT the
same charge). Please double check your notes that the other answers are not met here.
Question 9 Capacitance of capacitors depends upon
the space between the conductors.
the geometry of the conductors.
the material between the conductors.
all of these answers.
none of these answers.
Explanation: These are the physical parameters (A, d, and o) of the capacitor. Changing any of these three
quantities would change C.
Question 10 When two or more capacitors are connected in series to a battery,
the total voltage across the combination is the algebraic sum of the voltages across the individual
capacitors.
the equivalent capacitance of the combination is less than the capacitance of any of the capacitors.
each capacitor carries the same amount of charge.
all of the answers given above
none of the given answers
Explanation: Absolutely, the voltage drops across each capacitor (when connected in series). The total
voltage drops equal the batterys voltage. The capacitance is smaller than the smallest (when in series).
The charge amount is the same on each capacitor (when in series).

Question 11 Three capacitors C1, C2, and C3 are connected to a battery as shown in Fig. 24-3. The
three capacitors have equal capacitances. Which capacitor stores the most potential energy?
FIGURE 24-3

C2
C3
C1
C2 or C3. They store the same amount of energy
All three capacitors store the same amount of energy.
Explanation: No physical change is taking place so the capacitances will remain the same. U = ()CV 2. C is
the same for all three identical capacitors, so the one that sees the largest voltage drop across will store the
most energy. Capacitor C1 sees the same voltage as the battery. Capacitors C2 and C3 in series on a
separate branch will share the batterys voltage (two drops that add up to V). Therefore, capacitor C1 sees
the largest voltage across and would store the most energy.
Question 12 Three identical capacitors are connected in parallel to a battery. If a total charge of Q
flows from the battery, how much charge does each capacitor carry?
9Q
Q/3
Q
Q/9
3Q
Explanation: In parallel, we know that q=q1+q2+q3+ This means that each would carry Q/3 (because
theyre identical).
Question 13 If the voltage applied to a parallel-plate capacitor is doubled, the electric field between
the plates
is tripled.
remains the same.
is doubled.
quadruples.
is halved.

Explanation: V = Ed (E is the electric field and d is the separation distance between the two plates). This is a
linear equation. If V doubles then E doubles.
Question 14 Fig. 24-2 shows three capacitors connected to a battery. The capacitances are such
that C1 = 2C2 and C1 = 3C3. Which capacitor stores the smallest amount of charge?
FIGURE 24-2

C1
C2
C3
C2 or C3
All three capacitors store the same amount of charge.
Explanation: These capacitors are connected in series. The charge carried by each MUST be the same. The
voltage drops across will be different to reflect different q/V ratios in order to obtain different Cs.

Question 15 The energy stored in a capacitor will be equal to the work done to charge it.
True
False

Explanation: The capacitor is a storage device that store energy to be used later.
Question 16 Fig. 24-1 shows 3 capacitors, of equal capacitance C, connected to a battery of voltage
V. What is the equivalent capacitance of this combination?
FIGURE 24-1

2C/3
C/2
C/3
3C
3C/2
Explanation:

The two capacitors on the right are connected in parallel. Ceq1 = C+C = 2C. Now this equivalent
capacitance is in series with the top capacitor (1/Ceq2)= 1/(C)+1/(2C) = 3/(2C) or Ceq1 = 2C/3

Question 17 A parallel-plate capacitor of capacitance C is connected to a battery of voltage V until it

is fully charged. The energy density in the capacitor is then equal to u. If the same capacitor is then
connected to a battery of voltage 2V its energy density becomes equal to
u/2.
u.
u/4.
4 u.
2 u.
Explanation: Lower case u = ()oE2. Doubling V would double E as seen above (V = Ed). Therefore the new
energy density will be 4u (notice that the new doubled E should be squared in the energy density equation).
Question 18 If the voltage on a capacitor is doubled, then the energy stored by the capacitor
triples.
halves.
quadruples.
stays the same.
doubles.
Explanation: Here we need to examine the energy (not energy density). U (Capital U)= 1/2CV2. Remember
that C should remain the same (if no physical changes are taking place). Doubling V would give me a new
energy that is U=1/2C(2V)2 or 4 (1/2CV2). U = 4U.

Question 19 A capacitor consists of a set of two parallel plates of area A separated by a distance d.
The capacitor plates carry charges +Q and -Q. If the separation between the plates is doubled, the
potential difference between the plates will
be cut in half.
be cut in fourth.
quadruple.
double.
not change.
Explanation: Doubling the separation distance d (physical change) reduces the capacitance to half its
original value. C = oA/d (d is in the doubled in the denominator). C = q/V. With the charge remaining
constant (+Q and Q) and not allowed to change (isolated), then V should double (V inversely proportional
to C). The trick in this question is to figure out that the capacitor is isolated (no change in Qs).

Question 20 As more and more capacitors are connected in series, the equivalent capacitance of
the combination increases.
True
False

Explanation: In series, the equivalent capacitance is smaller than the smallest.