Capacitor

Charging and Discharging

18-Jan-08 Mr.NGAN HON SHING

Structure of capacitor
Capacitor

= conductor (metal plate)

+
insulator (dielectric)
+
conductor (metal plate)

Type of capacitor
Non-polar

capacitors

Polarized

capacitors

Charging up a capacitor
After

connected to the battery, the

capacitor is charging up. More and
more charges are on the plates of the
capacitor.
++ +

++ +++

-- -

- - ---

Current Flow (I) when charging up

Current

flows from the positive terminal

of the supply to the negative terminal.

++ +

++ +++

-- -

- - ---

Current I is decreasing and then comes to be zero.

Voltage of capacitor (Vc) when charging up

A voltage

Vc is built up when charging.

The capacitor is charged up.

e.m.f.

Vc =0

e.m.f.

++ +

++ +++

-- -

- - ---

Vc

e.m.f.

Vc =e.m.f.
i.e.: I=0

E.m.f. of the battery is constant while voltage across capacitor (Vc) is

increasing until it is equals to e.m.f. of the battery.

Discharging
If

the p.d. across the capacitor is equal to that

of the battery, discharging doesnt occur.
If a charged capacitor is connected to a
resistor, current flows from its positive
terminal.
++ +++

++ +

- - ---

-- -

Current I is decreasing and flows at the direction which is opposite as before.

Also, Vc is decreasing (expotentially)

Capacitance
Which

one is at a higher potential?

+

+
+

A
+

+
+
+

Capacitance (C)
The

potential of a conductor is
proportional to the charge stored on it.
V Q

V = kQ/R

i.e.: Q/V = constant = C (capacitance)

Capacitance
If

VA=VB, which one has higher capacitance?

+

A
+

+
VA = 1000V
QA = 6mC
C = 6F

V B=1000V

ANSWERQ = 3mC
B

C = 3 F

Unit of capacitance
C

= Q/V
Unit of capacitance = 1C V-1
Or Farad (F)
1F = 1C V-1

Capacitance of a conducting sphere

A conducting

sphere can store charges.

Voltage at the surface of a conducting sphere
=kQ/R
V = k Q / R
C = Q / V = R/k = 4oR
So,

the capacitance of a conducting sphere is

proportional to the radius of the sphere.

Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor

Recall

E=kQ/r2 = Q/(4or2)=Q/(4r2o)= / o
= Q / A
E= -dV/dr = V/d (E is uniform between plates)

E=
C

/ o = Q / o A = V / d

= Q / V = o A / d

Capacitance I
a)

b)

c)

Area A
d

r
C1 =

C2=

C3=

Capacitance II

A = effective area
= overlapping area

Function of dielectric
Plates

induced charges at dielectric

Dielectric formed an opposite E-field
which reduced both E-field and V of
metal plates.
By C=Q/V
=> C=Q/V where V < V
=> C
E = E/ Also V = V/