CAPACITORS

- A capacitor made of two parallel plates with an insulator in between. The insulator is
called dielectric.
- Dielectric can be made of:
a) Paper
b) Non-conducting liquids
c) Other insulators.
- Hence, during charging and discharging a capacitor, the process does not include a
complete circuit.
- The circuit symbol of a capacitor is shown below:

Charging a capacitor

dielectric

A B

X Y

- At 𝑡 = 0, plates A and B are neutral. Positive side of the cell has less electrons
compared to plate A.
- Negative side of the cell has more electrons than B.

pg. 1
- When the circuit is complete, electron transfer takes place from A to X and then Y to
B.
- The e.m.f of the cell creates the required force. The transferred electrons create a
potential difference between A and B.
- Charge will build up on the capacitor until the p.d across the plates equals that
provided by the power supply to which it is connected.
- Capacitor will be fully charged when:
𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑝. 𝑑 = 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑝. 𝑑

Example 1
Explain why a capacity stores energy but not charge
Answer
A capacitor does not store charge because charges on the plates are equal and opposite –
so no resultant charge. Energy is stored because there is charge separation (energy in
electric field)

The amount of charge a capacitor can store, per unit volt applied across it, is called its
capacitance, C and can be measured in Farads (F).
The capacitance depends on:
(i) Size of the plates
(ii) The separation of the plates
(iii) The nature of the dielectric
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑑,𝑄
𝐶=
𝑝.𝑑 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑟,𝑉

𝑄
𝐶=𝑉

𝑄 = 𝐶𝑉

pg. 2
 Discharging a capacitor

A B
+ -

+ -

+ -

Direction + -
of
electron
flow

- Electrons flow is in opposite direction – B to A.

- The potential difference between the capacitor plates provide the energy for electron
flow.
- The bulb converts this electrical energy to light and heat.
- Potential difference reduces and current reduces – both reductions are exponential.
- Discharging without the bulb or external resistor, would mean initial discharge current
is very high and discharging time is very short.

Charge – discharge analysis

Laptop
Current
sensor
100kΩ

A 100µA
Voltage sensor

V 9V Shorting
wire Laptop

pg. 3
- If the shorting wire across the capacitor is connected between positive and negative,
charge is instantly transferred between negative and positive and the plates become
neutral.
- The current and voltage monitor will take samples of current and voltage at fixed
sample frequency which are transferred to the laptop and V – t and I – t graphs
drawn for both charge and discharge.
- At t = 0, shorting wire is removed and switch is connected to start building up
capacitor voltage.
- At any time, t;
𝑉𝐵 = 𝑉𝐶 + 𝑉𝑅

@ 𝑡 = 0, 𝑉𝐶 = 0

Therefore, 𝑉𝐵 = 𝑉𝑅

𝑉𝐵 𝑉𝑅
𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = =
𝑅 𝑅

9𝑉
𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = = 90 µ𝐴
100 000Ω

Hence, 100µA limit.

After time, t = t
𝑉𝐵 = 𝑉𝐶 + 𝑉𝑅

𝑉𝑅 = 𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐶

N/B
1) Charging stops when 𝑉𝐶 = 𝑉𝐵

2) Imax drops exponentially because:

 At first, the rush of electrons as the capacitor discharges is as high as possible
(IMAX). As electrons flow, the potential difference across the capacitor reduces
𝑉
hence the push on the electron is weaker. I reduces because is less.
𝑅
 Maximum current is only achieved at first and it depends on external resistor.
If external resistance is very high:
a) Initial charge current is very low
b) Rate of increase of capacitance voltage is very low
c) Rate of decrease of circuit current is low
d) Charging time is high

pg. 4
At any given time, t, VC is an opposing voltage to VB. Therefore,
𝑉𝑅 = 𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐶
𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐶 𝑉𝑅
𝐼= =
𝑅 𝑅

As VC increases with time, effective charging voltage reduces.

Initial charging current produces a high exponential increase in VC and high exponential
decrease in VR.

Charge/Discharge combination and curves

Discharge:
At t = 0, assume capacitor fully charged (V = 6 V). Two way switch moved to B.
𝑉𝐶
𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑅
6𝑉
= = 0.06 𝐴 (At first, a rush of electrons as capacitor discharge is high. Current
100 Ω
starts at a max.)
After some electrons have discharged, the p.d across the capacitor is reduced and the
electric field, and therefore the push on the remaining electrons is weaker.
𝑉
The current (𝑅) is less and the light dims. Eventually capacitor is fully discharged – no
more electrons moving – current is zero.

pg. 5
A. Current:

0.06A Discharge current/A

t/s

B. Voltage

6V
p.d across capacitor/V

Voltage drop exponential since high

voltage means rate of charge flow is high
(current), dropping with time from V = IR.

V α I hence I also exponential.

t/s
C. Charge remaining

0.6
Q = CV = 100 x 10-6 x 6 = 0.6 mC
Charge on capacitor/mC

Q = It
Q
I= t

At any time I α Q hence charge drop is

exponential.

t/s

pg. 6
Charging:
A. Current

- The higher the effective voltage, the higher the

current.
- At t=0, voltage = cell e.m.f
- During charging, the effective voltage reduces
hence current reduces.

B. Capacitor voltage

- Increases at rate of charge transfer.

- As e.m.f reduces, charge transfer reduces,
hence voltage build up reduces.

C. Charge

- As time goes on, capacitor gains a charge

hence produces a repulsive force on the flow
of the electrons making rate of charge slower
until it reaches maximum.

pg. 7
Charge - voltage relationship
- Referring to charge – discharge circuit; during discharge the graph of current – time is:

Q = It

The area under the graph gives total

charge.

The experiment is separated with different voltages:

V (V)
Q ( C)

Drawing the graph of Q vs V gives:

V
Potential difference

In order to charge a capacitor, it begins with

zero charge stored on it and slowly fills up as
the p.d increases, until the charge at voltage V
is given by Q.

Q Charge

1
- Area under graph = QV
2
- Graph shows that voltage 𝛼 charge
QαV
Q = CV

Q
C= V

pg. 8
- C is the capacitance measured in Farads (F).

1 Farad = 1 CV −1

- A capacitance of 1 F need a coulomb of charge to create a unit p.d

Q
- Capacitors of large capacitance, take a lot of charge to create a small voltage; C = V

1
C αV

1 Joule
1 Volt = coulomb

1 V = 1 JC−1

energy
Voltage = charge

Energy = voltage x charge

E = QV

- This represents the energy the cell uses to charge the capacitor.

1
QV
2

- Area under graph represents energy stored in the capacitor.

- If
1
E= QV but Q = CV
2
1
E= (CV)V
2

pg. 9
 1
E= CV 2 or
2

1 Q
E= Q (C )
2

1 Q2
E= 2 C

- Hence, a capacitor charging processed is at best 50% efficient due to:

a) Capacitor voltage is causing resistance
b) External resistor connected to control initial current
c) Resistance of connecting wires
d) Internal resistance of charging cells

Capacitor connections:
1. Capacitors in series

VT = V 1 + V2

T
- At the end of the charging process:
VT = V 1 + V2

- Since there is only one path, same charge will flow

Q
From Q = CV, V = C

QT Q1 Q
= + C 2 But QT = Q1 = Q2
CT C1 2

1 1 1
= +
CT C1 C2

pg. 10
 - Effective capacitance reduces if two capacitors are in series:
C1 x C2
CT =
C1 + C2

2. Capacitors in parallel

VT

Q1

Q2

Q T = Q1 + Q 2

CT VT = C1 V1 + C2 V2 𝐵𝑢𝑡 VT = V1 = V2

CT = C1 + C2

3. Capacitor charging another capacitor

C2 C1

At t = 0, C1 is fully charged and C2 = 0

pg. 11
When connected, C1 charges C2 – only a fraction of charge from C1 goes to C2 until they
have the same voltage hence parallel.
From Q = CV
Q
V= C
1
V αC

If C2 has a lower capacitance, small charge will create high voltage and vice versa.
The charging is exponential because:
a) Initially voltage of C1 is very high while C2 is neutral. Hence, charging is very high.
b) There is opposition of incoming electrons by the charged capacitor C2 hence
reduction.
TASK
1. A cell of e.m.f 6V is connected to 2 capacitors of 3µF each. One syatem in series and
the other in parallel.
a) Draw both circuit diagrams
b) Calculate for both systems:
(i) Total capacitance
(ii) Charge in one capacitor
(iii) Energy stored in each capacitor

2. What is the capacitance of a capacitor which stores 2C of charge for every 100 V
applied to it?

3. A 0.01F capacitor is charged by and then isolated from an 8V power supply.

a) Calculate the charge stored
b) The capacitor is then connected across another identical capacitor, which is
uncharged. Describe and explain what will happen to the charge and voltage on
each capacitor.

4. How much energy is stored on a 50𝜇F capacitor which is charged to 12V?

5. A 1200𝜇F capacitor is connected to a voltage supply until fully charged with 10.8mC.
If this capacitor is then disconnected and reconnected across a 10W light bulb, how
long could it light the bulb for?

pg. 12
TIME CONSTANT (𝛕)

- The time taken to charge a capacitor depends on the following:

a) Capacitance – the larger the capacitance, the more time taken for a charge of
specific voltage.
b) Resistance – the higher the resistance, the lower the current. Since current is the
rate of flow of charge, more time is needed.
If resistance and capacitance are kept constant, time for full charge and discharge
are the same for same potential difference.

- Time constant is defined as the time taken for a capacitor to loose 63% of its charge
or 37% of original charge remains.

- Time constant = resistance x capacitance

τ = RC
V Q Q
= = =
I V I
It
= =t
I

- Hence, product of RC is a time constant in seconds.

After every time constant,

1
I = I0 x where I0 – original current
e
e – 2.718 (special mathematical number used in inverse
functions of natural logarithm)

𝜏 𝜏 𝜏

pg. 13
Exponential discharge
Consider a discharging capacitor, C through a resistor, R with no cell.

±
−

At t = 0,
VB = VC + VR
But VB = 0 (no battery)
− VR = VC
Recall,
Q
VR = IR and VC = C
Q 𝑑𝑄
Therefore, − IR = 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐼 =
C 𝑑𝑡

dQ Q
− .R =
dt C
dQ dt
− =
Q RC
1 1
− dQ = dt
Q RC

At t = 0, Q = Q0
And t = t, Q = Q

pg. 14
1 Q 1 t
Q
∫Q dQ = − RC ∫0 dt
0

t
[ln Q]Q
Q0 = − RC
t
ln Q − ln Q 0 = −
RC
Q t
ln ( ) = −
Q 0 RC
t
Q
= e−RC
Q0
𝐭
𝐐 = 𝐐𝟎 𝐞−𝐑𝐂

- Since Q, V and t are exponential, and

Q = CV

t
−
CV = CV0 e RC from which C can be cancelled, leaving:

𝐭
𝐕 = 𝐕𝟎 𝐞−𝐑𝐂

- Since τ → time constant and τ = RC

RC
Q = Q 0 e−RC
Q = Q 0 e−1
Q 1
=
Q0 e

Q
= 0.37
Q0

Hence, after any RC only 37% remains. The charge is 37% of its original value.

pg. 15
Linear graph
t
Q = Q 0 e−RC

t
ln Q = ln Q0 − RC
t
ln Q = − RC + ln Q0

y = mx + c

ln 𝑄0

𝑑𝑦 1
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑅𝐶
lnQ

TASK
1. A 0.03F capacitor is fully charged by a 12V supply and is then connected to discharge
through a 900Ω resistor. Calculate:
a) Time constant
b) Charge remaining after 20 seconds
c) Voltage across capacitor after 23 seconds
d) Discharge current after 30 seconds

pg. 16