Physics 2102

Gabriela González

Physics 2102

Capacitors
 Capacitors and Capacitance
Capacitor: any two conductors,
one with charge +Q, other
with charge -Q
-Q
Potential DIFFERENCE between +Q
conductors = V Uses: storing and releasing
electric charge/energy.
Q = CV -- C = capacitance Most electronic capacitors:
micro-Farads (mF),
Units of capacitance: pico-Farads (pF) -- 10-12 F
Farad (F) = Coulomb/Volt New technology:
compact 1 F capacitors
 Capacitance
• Capacitance depends only
on GEOMETRICAL
factors and on the
MATERIAL that
separates the two
conductors +Q
-Q
• e.g. Area of conductors,
separation, whether the
space in between is filled (We first focus on capacitors
with air, plastic, etc. where gap is filled by AIR!)
 Electrolytic (1940-70) Paper (1940-70)
Electrolytic (new)

Capacitors

Variable
air, mica

Mica
Tantalum (1980 on) Ceramic (1930 on)
(1930-50
 Capacitors and Capacitance
Capacitor: any two conductors,
one with charge +Q, other -Q
+Q
with charge -Q
Potential DIFFERENCE between
conductors = V Uses: storing and releasing
electric charge/energy.
Q = CV C = capacitance Most electronic capacitors:
micro-Farads (mF),
Units of capacitance: pico-Farads (pF) -- 10-12 F
Farad (F) = Coulomb/Volt New technology:
compact 1 F capacitors
 Parallel Plate Capacitor
We want capacitance: C=Q/V
Area of each plate = A
E field between the plates: (Gauss’ Law) Separation = d
s Q charge/area = s= Q/A
E 
0 0 A
Relate E to potential difference V:
d  d Q Qd
V   E  dx   dx 
0  A
0 0
0 A
What is the capacitance C?
+Q
Q 0 A -Q
C 
V d
 Parallel Plate Capacitor -- example
• A huge parallel plate capacitor consists of
two square metal plates of side 50 cm,
separated by an air gap of 1 mm
• What is the capacitance?
• C = 0A/d =
(8.85 x 10-12 F/m)(0.25 m2)/(0.001 m)
= 2.21 x 10-9 F
(small!!)
Lesson: difficult to get large values
of capacitance without special
tricks!
 Isolated Parallel Plate Capacitor
Q Q 0 A
C  
V Ed d
• A parallel plate capacitor of
capacitance C is charged using a
battery.  +Q -Q
• Charge = Q, potential difference = V.
• Battery is then disconnected.
• If the plate separation is INCREASED,
does potential difference V:
(a) Increase?
• Q is fixed!
(b) Remain the same? • C decreases (=0A/d)
(c) Decrease? • Q=CV; V increases.
 Parallel Plate Capacitor & Battery
Q Q 0 A
C  
V Ed d

• A parallel plate capacitor of capacitance C is

charged using a battery. +Q -Q
 = V.
• Charge = Q, potential difference
• Plate separation is INCREASED while battery
remains connected.

Does the electric field inside:

(a) Increase?
(b) Remain the same?
(c) Decrease?
• V is fixed by battery!
• C decreases (=0A/d)
• Q=CV; Q decreases
• E = Q/ 0A decreases
 Spherical Capacitor
What is the electric field inside
the capacitor? (Gauss’ Law)
Radius of outer
plate = b
Q Radius of inner
E plate = a
40 r 2
Concentric spherical shells:
Charge +Q on inner shell,
Relate E to potential difference
-Q on outer shell
between the plates:
b  b b
 kQ  kQ  1 1
V   E  dr   2 dr  -   kQ  - 
a a
r  r a a b
 Spherical Capacitor
What is the capacitance? Radius of outer
C = Q/V = plate = b
Q Radius of inner
 plate = a
Q 1 1
 - 
40  a b  Concentric spherical shells:
Charge +Q on inner shell,
-Q on outer shell
40 ab
 Isolated sphere: let b >> a,
(b - a)
C  40 a
 Cylindrical Capacitor
What is the electric field in
between the plates?
Radius of outer
Q plate = b
E Radius of inner
2 0 rL plate = a
Length of capacitor = L
Relate E to potential difference +Q on inner rod, -Q on outer shell
between the plates: cylindrical
 
b surface of
V   E  dr radius r
b
b a
Q  Q ln r  Q  b
 dr     ln  
a
20 rL  20 L  a 20 L  a 
 Cylindrical Capacitor
What is the capacitance C? Radius of outer
C = Q/V = plate = b
Q Radius of inner

Q b plate = a
ln  
20 L  a  Length of capacitor = L
Charge +Q on inner rod,
20 L -Q on outer shell

b
ln   Example: co-axial cable.
a
 Summary
• Any two charged conductors form a capacitor.

•Capacitance : C= Q/V

•Simple Capacitors:

Parallel plates: C = 0 A/d

Spherical : C = 4 0 ab/(b-a)

Cylindrical: C = 2 0 L/ln(b/a)
 Capacitors in Parallel
• A wire is a conductor, so it is an
equipotential.
• Capacitors in parallel have SAME
potential difference but NOT
ALWAYS same charge. Q1 C1
• VAB = VCD = V A B
• Qtotal = Q1 + Q2
Q2 C2
• CeqV = C1V + C2V D
• Ceq = C1 + C2
C
• Equivalent parallel capacitance =
sum of capacitances

Qtotal Ceq
PARALLEL:
• V is same for all capacitors
• Total charge in Ceq = sum of charges
 Capacitors in series
Q1 Q2
• Q1 = Q2 = Q (WHY??) B C
• VAC = VAB + VBC A
C1 C2
Q Q Q
 
Ceq C1 C2
1 1 1 Q
 
Ceq C1 C2

Ceq
SERIES:
• Q is same for all capacitors
• Total potential difference in Ceq = sum of V
Capacitors in parallel and in series

• In parallel : Q1 C1
– Ceq = C1 + C2
– Veq=V1=V2 Qeq
Q2 C2
– Qeq=Q1+Q2
Ceq
• In series : Q1 Q2
– 1/Ceq = 1/C1 + 1/C2
– Veq=V1 +V2
C1 C2
– Qeq=Q1=Q2
 Example 1
What is the charge on each capacitor?
• Q = CV; V = 120 V 10 mF
• Q1 = (10 mF)(120V) = 1200 mC
• Q2 = (20 mF)(120V) = 2400 mC
20 mF
• Q3 = (30 mF)(120V) = 3600 mC

Note that: 30 mF
• Total charge (7200 mC) is shared
between the 3 capacitors in the ratio
C1:C2:C3 -- i.e. 1:2:3
120V
 Example 2
What is the potential difference across each capacitor?
• Q = CV; Q is same for all capacitors
• Combined C is given by: 10 mF 20 mF 30 mF

1 1 1 1
  
Ceq (10mF ) (20mF ) (30mF )

120V
• Ceq = 5.46 mF
• Q = CV = (5.46 mF)(120V) = 655 mC
• V1= Q/C1 = (655 mC)/(10 mF) = 65.5 V Note: 120V is shared in the
• V2= Q/C2 = (655 mC)/(20 mF) = 32.75 V ratio of INVERSE
• V3= Q/C3 = (655 mC)/(30 mF) = 21.8 V capacitances
i.e.1:(1/2):(1/3)
(largest C gets smallest V)
 Example 3
In the circuit shown, what 10 mF
is the charge on the 10mF
capacitor?
5 mF 5 mF 10V
• The two 5mF capacitors are in
parallel
• Replace by 10mF 10 mF
• Then, we have two 10mF
capacitors in series
• So, there is 5V across the 10mF 10 mF
capacitor of interest 10V
• Hence, Q = (10mF )(5V) = 50mC
 Energy Stored in a Capacitor
• Start out with uncharged
capacitor
• Transfer small amount of charge
dq from one plate to the other
until charge on each plate has
magnitude Q
• How much work was needed? dq

Q Q 2 2
q Q CV
U   Vdq   dq  
0 0
C 2C 2
 Energy Stored in Electric Field
• Energy stored in capacitor:U = Q2/(2C) = CV2/2
• View the energy as stored in ELECTRIC FIELD
• For example, parallel plate capacitor:
Energy DENSITY = energy/volume = u =
2
Q 2
Q 2
Q 2
0  Q  0E 2
U    
 
 
2CAd 2  0 A  Ad 2 0 A 2
2   A  2
  0
 d 
General
volume = Ad expression for
any region with
vacuum (or air)
 Example
• 10mF capacitor is initially charged to 120V. 10mF (C1)
20mF capacitor is initially uncharged.
• Switch is closed, equilibrium is reached.
• How much energy is dissipated in the process?
Initial charge on 10mF = (10mF)(120V)= 1200mC
20mF (C2)
After switch is closed, let charges = Q1 and Q2.
Charge is conserved: Q1 + Q2 = 1200mC
• Q1 = 400mC
Also, Vfinal is same: Q1  Q2 Q1 
Q2 • Q2 = 800mC
C1 C 2 2 • Vfinal= Q1/C1 = 40 V
Initial energy stored = (1/2)C1Vinitial2 = (0.5)(10mF)(120)2 = 72mJ
Final energy stored = (1/2)(C1 + C2)Vfinal2 = (0.5)(30mF)(40)2 = 24mJ

Energy lost (dissipated) = 48mJ

 Dielectric Constant
DIELECTRIC • If the space between
capacitor plates is filled by a
dielectric, the capacitance
INCREASES by a factor 
• This is a useful, working
definition for dielectric
+Q - Q constant.
• Typical values of : 10 - 200
C =  A/d
 Example
• Capacitor has charge Q, voltage V
• Battery remains connected while
dielectric slab is inserted.
• Do the following increase, decrease dielectric
or stay the same: slab
– Potential difference?
– Capacitance?
– Charge?
– Electric field?
 Example (soln)
• Initial values:
capacitance = C; charge = Q;
potential difference = V;
electric field = E; dielectric
• Battery remains connected slab
• V is FIXED; Vnew = V (same)
• Cnew = C (increases)
• Qnew = (C)V = Q (increases).
• Since Vnew = V, Enew = E (same)

Energy stored? u=0E2/2 => u=0E2/2 = E2/2

 Summary
• Capacitors in series and in parallel:

• in series: charge is the same, potential adds,

equivalent capacitance is given by 1/C=1/C1+1/C2
• in parallel: charge adds, potential is the same,
equivalent capaciatnce is given by C=C1+C2.

• Energy in a capacitor: U=Q2/2C=CV2/2; energy density u=0E2/2

• Capacitor with a dielectric: capacitance increases C’=C