http://www.nearingzero.net (work009.

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Announcements
- Exam 1 is Tuesday, February 7, 5:00-6:15 pm.
I need paperwork for any special needs by the end of
lectures today.
- Test Preparation Homework for Exam 1 will be available on
the Physics 24 web site (under Handouts) late Friday. It will be
handed out in lecture next Monday. This is next Tuesdays
homework. Do not ignore it!
- Test 1 Room Assignments (next slide) are available on the
Physics 24 web site (under Course Information). This
information will be included with Test Preparation Homework 1.
Know the exam time!
Find your room ahead of time!
If at 5:00 on test day you are lost, go to 104 Physics and check the exam
room schedule, then go to the appropriate room and take the exam there.
Exam is from
5:00-6:15 pm!
- Physics 24 Test Room Assignments, Spring 2012:

Instructor Sections Room
Dr. Hale B, D 104 Physics
Dr. Parris F, H 125 Butler-Carlton (Civil)
Dr. Schmitt A, C, E G-3 Schrenk
Dr. Vojta G, L G-31 EECH
Dr. Waddill K 120 Butler-Carlton (Civil)

4:30/5:30 Exams 202 Physics
Special Needs Testing Center
More Announcements
- Exam 1 special arrangements:
12 Test Center students. I have e-mailed 10 of you confirming your
appointment. Exam begins at the regular time (5:00) unless you have
been asked by the test center to report at 4:25 pm, and no one will be
admitted after 5:15 pm, unless you have made other arrangements.
??? 5:30 exam students.
Other special cases: you should already have been in correspondence
with me or your recitation instructor. (none so far.)
Anybody else must let me know by the end of the 1:00 lecture today
about special needs for the exam.
??? 4:30 exam students.

Todays agenda:

Capacitance.
You must be able to apply the equation C=Q/V.

Capacitors: parallel plate, cylindrical, spherical.
You must be able to calculate the capacitance of capacitors having these geometries, and
you must be able to use the equation C=Q/V to calculate parameters of capacitors.

Circuits containing capacitors in series and parallel.
You must be understand the differences between, and be able to calculate the equivalent
capacitance of, capacitors connected in series and parallel.

Capacitors and Dielectrics
Capacitance
A capacitor is basically two parallel
conducting plates with air or insulating
material in between.
V
0
V
1
E
L
A capacitor doesnt
have to look like
metal plates.
Capacitor for use in
high-performance
audio systems.
When a capacitor is connected to an external potential,
charges flow onto the plates and create a potential difference
between the plates.
Capacitor plates
build up charge.
The battery in this circuit has some voltage V. We havent discussed what
that means yet.
The symbol representing a capacitor in an
electric circuit looks like parallel plates.
Heres the symbol for a battery, or an external
potential.
+ -
-
-
V
+ -
If the external potential is
disconnected, charges remain on the
plates, so capacitors are good for
storing charge (and energy).
Capacitors are also very good at releasing
their stored charge all at once. The capacitors
in your tube-type TV are so good at storing
energy that touching the two terminals at the
same time can be fatal, even though the TV
may not have been used for months.
High-voltage TV capacitors are supposed to have bleeder
resistors that drain the charge away after the circuit is
turned off. I wouldnt bet my life on it.
Graphic from http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/.
+
+
-
-
V
conducting wires
On-line toy here.
assortment of
capacitors
The magnitude of charge acquired by each plate of a capacitor
is Q=CV where C is the capacitance of the capacitor.
The unit of C is the farad but most capacitors have values
of C ranging from picofarads to microfarads (pF to F).
micro 10
-6
, nano 10
-9
, pico 10
-12
(Know for exam!)
Q
C
V
= C is always positive.
+Q
+
-Q
-
V
C
Heres this V again. It is
the potential difference
provided by the external
potential. For example,
the voltage of a battery.
V is really a AV.
V is really
AV.

Todays agenda:

Capacitance.
You must be able to apply the equation C=Q/V.

Capacitors: parallel plate, cylindrical, spherical.
You must be able to calculate the capacitance of capacitors having these geometries, and
you must be able to use the equation C=Q/V to calculate parameters of capacitors.

Circuits containing capacitors in series and parallel.
You must be understand the differences between, and be able to calculate the equivalent
capacitance of, capacitors connected in series and parallel.

Parallel Plate Capacitance
V
0
V
1
E
d
We previously calculated the electric field
between two parallel charged plates:
0 0
Q
E .
A
o
= =
c c
This is valid when the separation is small
compared with the plate dimensions.
We also showed that E and AV are related:
+Q -Q
A
d d
0 0
V E d E dx Ed . A = = =
} }
0
0
A Q Q Q
C
V Ed d
Q
d
A
c
= = = =
A | |
|
c
\ .
This lets us calculate C for
a parallel plate capacitor.
Reminders:
Q
C
V
=
Q is the magnitude of the charge on either plate.
V is actually the magnitude of the potential difference
between the plates. V is really |AV|. Your book calls it
V
ab
.
C is always positive.
V
0
V
1
E
d
+Q -Q
A
0
A
C
d
c
=
Parallel plate capacitance depends only
on geometry.
This expression is approximate, and must
be modified if the plates are small, or
separated by a medium other than a
vacuum (lecture 9).
0
A
C
d
kc
=
Greek letter Kappa. For
todays lecture (and for
exam 1), use Kappa=1.
Do not use k=9x10
9
!
We can also calculate the capacitance of a
cylindrical capacitor (made of coaxial
cylinders).
L

Coaxial Cylinder Capacitance
The next slide shows a cross-section view of
the cylinders.
Q
-Q
b
r
a
E
dl
Gaussian
surface
Q L L
C = = =
b
V V
2k ln
a
| |
|
\ .
0
2 L L
C = =
b b
2k ln ln
a a
| | | |
| |
\ . \ .
Lowercase c is capacitance per unit length:
0
2 C
c = =
b
L
ln
a
| |
|
\ .
2k
E =
r
This derivation is sometimes needed
for homework problems! (Hint: 24.10, 11, 12.)
b b
b a r
a a
V = V - V = - E d = - E dr
} }
b
a
dr b
V = - 2k = - 2k ln
r a
| |
|
\ .
}
Isolated Sphere Capacitance
An isolated sphere can be thought of as concentric spheres
with the outer sphere at an infinite distance and zero potential.
We already know the potential outside a conducting sphere:
0
Q
V .
4 r
=
tc
The potential at the surface of a charged sphere of radius R is
0
Q
V
4 R
=
tc
so the capacitance at the surface of an isolated sphere is
0
Q
C 4 R.
V
= = tc
Capacitance of Concentric Spheres
Lets calculate the capacitance of a concentric spherical
capacitor of charge Q. Ill skip this calculation if there is no related homework assigned.
In between the spheres
2
0
Q
E
4 r
=
tc
b
2
a
0 0
Q dr Q 1 1
V
4 r 4 a b
(
A = =
(
tc tc

}
0
4 Q
C
1 1
V
a b
tc
= =
A (

(

You need to do this derivation if you have a
problem on spherical capacitors! (not this semester)
+Q
-Q
b
a
If there is related homework, details will be provided in lecture!
0
4 Q
C
1 1
V
a b
tc
= =
A (

(

Let aR and b to get the capacitance of an isolated
sphere.
+Q
-Q
b
a
alternative calculation of capacitance of isolated sphere
Example: calculate the capacitance of a capacitor whose plates
are 20 cm x 3 cm and are separated by a 1.0 mm air gap.
d = 0.001
area = 0.2 x 0.03
If you keep everything in SI (mks) units, the result is automatically in SI units.
0
A
C
d
c
=
( )
( )
12
8.85 10 0.2 0.03
C
0.001

=
12
C 53 10 F

=
C 53 pF =
Example: what is the charge on each plate if the capacitor is
connected to a 12 volt* battery?
0 V
+12 V
AV= 12V
Q CV =
( )
( )
12
Q 53 10 12

=
10
Q 6.4 10 C

=
*Remember, its the potential difference that matters.
If you keep everything in SI (mks) units, the result is automatically in SI units.
Example: what is the electric field between the plates?
0 V
+12 V
AV= 12V
d = 0.001
E
V
E
d
A
=
12V
E
0.001 m
=
V
E 12000 ,"up."
m
=
If you keep everything in SI (mks) units, the result is automatically in SI units.

Quiz time (maybe for points, maybe just for practice!)

Demo: Professor Tries to Avoid
Spot-Welding His Fingers
to the Terminals of a Capacitor
While Demonstrating Energy Storage

Todays agenda:

Capacitance.
You must be able to apply the equation C=Q/V.

Capacitors: parallel plate, cylindrical, spherical.
You must be able to calculate the capacitance of capacitors having these geometries, and
you must be able to use the equation C=Q/V to calculate parameters of capacitors.

Circuits containing capacitors in series and parallel.
You must be understand the differences between, and be able to calculate the equivalent
capacitance of, capacitors connected in series and parallel.

Capacitors in Circuits
Recall: this is the symbol representing a
capacitor in an electric circuit.
And this is the symbol for a battery
+ -
or this
or this.
Capacitors connected in parallel:
C
1
C
2
C
3
+
-
V
The potential difference (voltage drop) from a to b must equal V.
a b
V
ab
= V = voltage drop across each individual capacitor.
V
ab
Circuits Containing Capacitors in Parallel
Note how I have introduced the idea that when circuit components are connected in parallel, then the voltage
drops across the components are all the same. You may use this fact in homework solutions.
C
2
C
3
+
-
C
1
C
2
C
3
+
-
V
a
Q = C V
Q
1
= C
1
V
& Q
2
= C
2
V
& Q
3
= C
3
V
Now imagine replacing the parallel
combination of capacitors by a single
equivalent capacitor.
By equivalent, we mean stores the same
total charge if the voltage is the same.
C
eq
+
-
V
a
Q
1
+ Q
2
+ Q
3
= C
eq
V = Q
Q
3
Q
2
Q
1
+ -
Q

Important!
Q
1
= C
1
V Q
2
= C
2
V Q
3
= C
3
V
Q
1
+ Q
2
+ Q
3
= C
eq
V
Summarizing the equations on the last slide:
Using Q
1
= C
1
V, etc., gives
C
1
V + C
2
V + C
3
V = C
eq
V
C
1
+ C
2
+ C
3
= C
eq
(after dividing both sides by V)
Generalizing:
C
eq
= EC
i
(capacitors in parallel)
C
1
C
2
C
3
+
-
V
a b
Capacitors connected in series:
C
1
C
2
+
-
V
C
3
An amount of charge +Q flows from the battery to the left plate
of C
1
. (Of course, the charge doesnt all flow at once).
+Q

-Q

An amount of charge -Q flows from the battery to the right
plate of C
3
. Note that +Q and Q must be the same in
magnitude but of opposite sign.
Circuits Containing Capacitors in Series
C
1
C
2
+
-
V
C
3
+Q

A

-Q

B

The charges +Q and Q attract equal and opposite charges to
the other plates of their respective capacitors:
-Q

+Q

These equal and opposite charges came from the originally
neutral circuit regions A and B.
Because region A must be neutral, there must be a charge +Q
on the left plate of C
2
.
Because region B must be neutral, there must be a charge -Q
on the right plate of C
2
.
+Q

-Q

C
1
C
2
+
-
V
C
3
+Q

A

-Q

B

-Q

+Q

+Q

-Q

Q = C
1
V
1
Q = C
2
V
2
Q = C
3
V
3
The charges on C
1
, C
2
, and C
3
are the same, and are
But we dont know V
1
, V
2
, and V
3
yet.
a

b

We do know that V
ab
= V and also V
ab
= V
1
+ V
2
+ V
3
.
V
3
V
2
V
1
V
ab
Note how I have introduced the idea that when circuit components are connected in series, then the voltage
drop across all the components is the sum of the voltage drops across the individual components. This is
actually a consequence of the conservation of energy. You may use this fact in homework solutions.
C
eq
+
-
V
+Q

-Q

V

Lets replace the three capacitors by a single equivalent
capacitor.
By equivalent we mean V is the same as the total voltage
drop across the three capacitors, and the amount of charge Q
that flowed out of the battery is the same as when there were
three capacitors.
Q = C
eq
V

Collecting equations:
Q = C
1
V
1
Q = C
2
V
2
Q = C
3
V
3
V
ab
= V = V
1
+ V
2
+ V
3
.
Q = C
eq
V

Substituting for V
1
, V
2
, and V
3
:
1 2 3
Q Q Q
V = + +
C C C
Substituting for V:
eq 1 2 3
Q Q Q Q
= + +
C C C C
Dividing both sides by Q:
eq 1 2 3
1 1 1 1
= + +
C C C C
Important!
Generalizing:
OSE: (capacitors in series)
i
eq i
1 1
=
C C

Summary (know for exam!):

Series
eq i
i
C C =

same Q, Vs add
Parallel
same V, Qs add
i
eq i
1 1
C C
=

C
1
C
2
C
3
C
1
C
2
C
3
C
3
C
2
C
1
I dont see a series combination of capacitors, but I do see a
parallel combination.
C
23
= C
2
+ C
3
= C + C = 2C
Example: determine the
capacitance of a single capacitor
that will have the same effect as
the combination shown. Use
C
1
= C
2
= C
3
= C.
C
1
= C C
23
= 2C
Now I see a series combination.
eq 1 23
1 1 1
= +
C C C
eq
1 1 1 2 1 3
= + = + =
C C 2C 2C 2C 2C
eq
2
C = C
3
Example: for the capacitor circuit shown, C
1
= 3F, C
2
= 6F,
C
3
= 2F, and C
4
=4F. (a) Find the equivalent capacitance. (b)
if AV=12 V, find the potential difference across C
4
.
Ill work this at the blackboard.
C
3


C
2
C
1


C
4


AV

Homework Hint: each capacitor has associated
with it a Q, C, and V. If you dont know what to do
next, near each capacitor, write down Q= , C= ,
and V= . Next to the = sign record the known
value or a ? if you dont know the value. As soon
as you know any two of Q, C, and V, you can
determine the third. This technique often provides
visual clues about what to do next.
You really need to know this:
Capacitors in series
all have the same charge
add the voltages to get the total voltage
Capacitors in parallel
all have the same voltage
add the charges to get the total charge
(and it would be nice if you could explain why)
Homework Hint!
What does our text mean by V
ab
?
C
3


C
2
C
1


C
4


AV

a b
Our texts convention is V
ab
= V
a
V
b
.
This is explained on page 762. This is
in contrast to Physics 23 notation,
where V
ab
= V
b
V
a
.
In the figure on this slide, if V
ab
= 100 V then point a is at a
potential 100 volts higher than point b, and V
ab
= -100 V;
there is a 100 volt drop on going from a to b.
When our text uses the notation W
ab
, it means the same thing as in Physics 23. The two
sentences in bold type in the first two paragraphs on page 762 are correct because
AU
ab
= q AB
ab
= -W
conservative,ab
.