Capacitance

Conductor and Its Capacitance

When a conductor is charged its potential increases. The potential difference of
a conductor is proportional to charge given to it.
Ifq = charge on the conductor
V = potential of the conductor
It is found that q V
 q = CV
where C is the proportionality constant. The constant C is called its capacitance.
Capacitance of a Conductor :
Capacitance of a conductor is the charge required to increase its potential by
unity.
(a) It is a scalar quantity. Its unit is Farad in SI unit.
(b) One Farad is large quantity. Generally smaller units like 1 mF = 10–6 F,
1nF = 10–9 F
or 1 pF = 10–12 F is used.
1 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑏
1 Farad =
1 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡
Self Energy or Potential Energy of Conductor :
Work done in charging a conductor against its own electric field is called
electrical potential energy.
(a) Electric potential energy
1 𝑞2 1 1
U= = CV2 = qV
2 𝐶 2 2
(b) This energy is stored in the electric field of the conductor. Electrical energy
density (energy per unit volume), is
1
u = 0 E2
2
Where q = charge on the conductor
V = potential of the conductor
C = capacity of the conductor
E = electric field at a point.
Capacitance of an Spherical Conductor :
Let R = radius of the spherical conductor.

• R

(a) If the medium around the conductor is vacuum or air,

Cvacuum = 40 R
(b) If the medium around the conductor is in a dielectric of constant K.
Cmedium = 40 KR
(c) The electric potential energy of sphere is given by
𝑞2 𝑞2
U = =
2𝐶 8𝜋𝜀0 𝑅
Capacitor
• When an uncharged conductor is brought near a charged conductor, the charge on the
conductors remains same but its potential decreases resulting in the increase in the
capacitance.
• When two equal and oppositely charged conductors are placed side by side, the system
is called capacitor.
• The conductors are called the plates of the capacitor.
• Formula for the capacitor.
(a) Q = CV
1 2 1 𝑄2 1
(b) Energy stored in the capacitor = CV = = QV
2 2 𝐶 2
1
(c) At any point the energy density is 0E2.
2
(d) The capacitor is denoted by + – .Showing the (+) ve and (–) ve charge on the
corresponding plates.
• Parallel plate capacitor and its capacitance
When conductors of capacitor are two parallel planes separated by some
distance, the capacitor is parallel plate capacitor. Assume
A = plate area
d = distance between the plates
(a) When only air is between the plates

A ∈0 𝐴
Cair =
𝑑
d
(b) When the space between the plates is filled with a dielectric of dielectric
constant K.
∈0 𝐾𝐴 𝐶𝑚𝑒𝑑
Cmed = (Where K = )
𝑑 𝐶𝑎𝑖𝑟
(c) When the space between the plates is filled with parallel plates of
different dielectrics as shown
𝐴∈0
C = 𝑡1 𝑡 𝑡
+ 2 + 3 +....
𝑘1 𝑘2 𝑘3
t1 t2 t3 t4

k1 k2 k3 k4
where t1 + t2 + t3 + ....= d
(d) When only one dielectric sheet of dielectric constant K of thickness
t (< d) is between the plates
∈0 𝐴
C= 𝑡
𝑑−𝑡+𝐾
 (e) When a conducting sheet of thickness t (< d) is placed between the plate
∈0 𝐴
C=
𝑑−𝑡
(f) If the space between plates is filled with perpendicular plates
K1 A1 ∈0 (𝐾1 𝐴1 +𝐾2 𝐴2 +...)
K2
C =
A2 𝑑

Combination of Capacitors
Series combination :
When capacitors are connected one after the another as shown, the
combination is called series combination. C1 C2 C3
+Q –Q +Q –Q +Q –Q

E
(a) If capacitors are initially uncharged, after the connection charge on each
capacitor is exactly same.
(b) As the capacitances are different, the potential across each capacitor is
different.
𝑄 𝑄
V1= , V2 = , .....
𝐶1 𝐶2

(c) Equivalent capacitance of any combination is that capacitance which when

connected in place of the combination, stores same charge and same
energy as that of the combination.

C1 C2 C3
The equivalent capacitance C is
1 1 1 1
= + + + ......
𝐶 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3
Parallel Combination :
If one plate of each capacitor is connected together and the other plate of each
capacitor is connected together, such combination is called parallel
combination. Q 1 C1
+ –
Q2 C2
+ –
Q3 C3
+ –
V

(a) The potential across each capacitor is same.

(b) As the capacitance of each capacitor is different, charge on each capacitor

is different.
(c) The charge on the capacitor is proportional to the capacitance.
Q1 : Q2 : Q3 = C1 : C2 : C3
or QC

(d) Equivalent capacitance of parallel combination between A and B.

C1
A C2 B

C3
C = C1 + C2 + C3 + .....
Q. Two metal spheres of capacitances
C1 and C2 carry some charges.
They are put in contact and then
separated. The final charges Q1
and Q2 on them will satisfy -
𝑄1 𝐶1
(A) <
𝑄2 𝐶2
𝑄1 𝐶1
(B) =
𝑄2 𝐶2
𝑄1 𝐶1
(C) >
𝑄2 𝐶2
𝑄1 𝐶2
(D) =
𝑄2 𝐶1
Q. Two metal plates form a parallel
plate condenser. The distance
between the plates is d. A metal
plate of thickness d/2 and of
the same area is inserted
completely between the plates.
The ratio of capacitances in the
two cases (later to initial) is -
(A) 2 : 1
(B) 1 : 2
(C) 1 : 1
(D) 1 : 4
Q. What is the equivalent capacitance
of the system of capacitors between
A&B
A
C C
C C C

B
(A) 7/6 C
(B) 1.6 C
(C) C
(D) None of these
Q. In the following circuit, the resultant
capacitance between A and B is 1
mF. Find the value of C.
C 1µF
A
8µF 6µF 4µF

2µF 2µF 12µF

B
23 32
(A) mF (B) mF
13 23
(C) 2mF (D) 1.5mF
Q. The figure shows a circuit consisting
of four capacitors. Find the effective
capacitance between X and Y.
1µF 1µF

1µF
X Y
2µF

8 3
(A) mF (B) mF
3 8
(C) 2mF (D) 1.5mF
Q. In the circuit shown a potential
difference of 60V is applied across
AB. The potential difference
between the point M and N is -
2C
A M

60 V C C
2C
B N

(A) 10 V (B) 15 V
(C) 20 V (D) 30 V
Q. In the circuit shown in figure, the
ratio of charges on 5mF and 4 mF
capacitor is -
2mF
3mF
5mF

4mF

6V

(A) 4/5 (B) 3/5

(C) 3/8 (D) 1/2
Q. The capacity of a parallel plate
condenser is C0. If a dielectric of
relative permittivity er and
thickness equal to one fourth
the plate separation is placed
between the plates, then its
capacity becomes C. Then value
𝐶
of will be -
𝐶0
5𝜀𝑟 4𝜀𝑟
(A) (B)
4𝜀𝑟 +1 3𝜀𝑟 +1
3𝜀𝑟 2𝜀𝑟
(C) (D)
2𝜀𝑟 +1 𝜀𝑟 +1
Q. A parallel plate capacitor is completely
filled by an insulating material 3 mm
thick and of relative permittivity 4.
The distance between the plates is
increased to allow the insertion of a
second sheet 5 mm thick and of
relative permittivity r also. If the
capacitance of the capacitor so
formed is one-half of the original
capacitance, then the value of r -
20 16
(A) (B)
3 3
10
(C) (D) None of these
3
Q. The resultant capacitance
between (A) and (B) in the
following figure is –
A
3µF 3µF 3µF
2µF 2µF 3µF

B
3µF 3µF 3µF
(A) 1mF
(B) 3mF
(C) 2mF
(D) 1.5mF