Capacitance and Dielectrics

Capacitance and Dielectrics

Definition of capacitor:
Two conductors having a potential
difference (V) between them and
have the same charges but with
opposite sense.
C= Q/V

1F= 1C/1V

-Q
+Q
Calculating Capacitance
Parallel Plate Capacitor
E=o/co
+Q -Q
Area : A
d
Air or insulator
A B
medium any for
d
A
C
air for
d
A
C
V
Q
C but d
A
Q
d V
Ed cos dl E V V
r o
o
o o
A
B
B A
c c =
c =
=
c
=
c
o
=
= u =
}
-1
Calculating Capacitance
Cylindrical Capacitor
b r a
rL 2
Q
E
Q
) rL 2 ( E
o o

c t
=
c
= t
|
.
|

\
|
c tc
=
|
.
|

\
|
tc
=
u =
}
a
b
ln
L 2
C
a
b
ln
L 2
Q
V V
cos dr E V V
r o
o
A B
B
A
A B
Combination of Capacitors
Circuit symbols:



When a number of capacitors are connected in a
circuit, we can replace the combination with
an equivalent capacitor

Battery Symbol
Capacitor Symbol
eq
C
Capacitors in parallel

C1
C2
C3
+q1
-q1
V
Ceq
V
-q +q
3 2 1 eq
3 2 1
3 2 1 3 2 1
C C C C
C C C
V
q
V C V C V C q q q q
+ + =
+ + =
+ + = + + =
Capacitors in Series

Ceq
V
-q +q
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + =
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + =
+ + = + + =
3 2 1 eq
3 2 1
3 2 1
3 2 1
C
1
C
1
C
1
C
1
C
1
C
1
C
1
q
q
V
C
q
C
q
C
q
V V V V
C1 C2 C3
+q
V
-q
+q +q
-q
-q
V 1
V2
V3
Energy stored in Charged Capacitors
C
Q
2
1
QV
2
1
CV
2
1
E
2
2
= = =
Work done by the battery to charge the capacitor is the same as the
energy stored in the capacitor
Capacitors with dielectrics
Dielectric: is a non-conducting material
( glass, rubber, waxed paper)
r o
c c = c
Permittivity of dielectric material
Permittivity of Space
C
If
r
c
1 Problem
d
d
d/3
d
A
C
o
o
c
=
3 / d
A
C
r o
1
c c
=
3 / d 2
A
C
o
2
c
=
o
r
r
2 1
C
1 2
3
C
C
1
C
1
C
1
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ c
c
=
+ =
Two capacitors C1 and C2
C1= 40 F is charged by V1= 20 volts
C2= 10 F is charged by V2= 15 volts
After disconnecting the batteries, the two
capacitors are connected together in parallel.
Find:
i) The charge for each capacitor after connection
ii) Work done in transferring the charge
2 Problem