Capacitors

Mitul M. Modi, Asst Prof.

Faculty of Electrical Engineering
 Contents :
● Electrostatics,

● Law’s of Electrostatics,

● Types of Capacitors,

● Parallel Plate Capacitor,

● Multi plate Capacitor,

● Capacitors in Series & Parallel

● Energy Stored by the Capacitor

● Charging and Discharging of the

capacitor
Electrostatics or
Static Electricity
● If, somehow, some electrons are removed from the
atoms of a body, then it is left with a preponderance
of positive charge. It is then said to be positively-
charged. If, on the other hand, some electrons are
added to it, negative charge out-balances the
positive charge and the body is said to be negatively
charged.

● In brief, we can say that positive electrification of a

body results from a deficiency of the electrons
whereas negative electrification results from an
excess of electrons.

● The total deficiency or excess of electrons in a body

is known as its charge.
Laws of Electrostatics
First Law. Like charges of electricity repel each other, whereas unlike
charges attract each other.
Second Law. According to this law, the force exerted between two
point charges (i) is directly proportional to the product of their
strengths (ii) is inversely proportional to the square of the distance
between them.
Field Strength or Field Intensity or Electric Intensity (E)
(1) It is given by the force experienced by a unit positive charge placed at that point. Its direction
is the direction along which the force acts.
Obviously, the unit of E is newton/coulomb (N/C).
For example, if a charge of Q coulombs placed at a particular point P within an electric field
instances a force of F newton, then electric field at that point is given by
𝐹
𝐸 = 𝑁/𝐶
𝑄
(2) Electric intensity at a point may be defined as equal to the lines of force passing normally
through a unit cross-section at that point. Suppose, there is a charge of Q coulombs. The number
of lines of force produced by it is Q/ε. If these lines fall normally on an area of A m2 surrounding
the point, then electric intensity at that point is

(3) Electric intensity at any point in an electric field is equal

to the potential gradient at that point.
In other words, E is equal to the rate of fall of potential in
the direction of the lines of force.
𝑑𝑣
∴ 𝐸 = 𝑑𝑥
− Obviously, the unit of E is volt/metre.
Capacitor
● A Capacitor is a storing device capable of storing electric charge.

● It consists of two conducting surfaces separated by an insulating material or a

dielectric medium. Since this arrangement is capable to store electricity or
charge, it is named as capacitor.
• Consider a DC supply connected across the
capacitor.
• A switch is placed in between to connect or
disconnect the capacitor from the battery.
+ A
• When the switch is in closed position the
Battery capacitor plates start charging.
- B • Electrons flow from the –ve terminal to the plate
B, since air acts as an insulator between both
the plates, the electrons start accumulating on
the plate B leaving it charged negatively.
• This negative charge on the plate B produces an electrostatic field around it. the
direction of the field is to repel the electron towards the plate A.

• The electrons flow from plate A to the +ve terminal of the battery.

• Then the plate A is charged positively and B is charged negatively , which builds up
a potential difference between them,

• This potential difference becomes opposition to the battery voltage . When the
potential difference becomes equal to the applied voltage, no more electrons can
flow and the circuit reaches static state.

• After the circuit reaching static state, even if the switch is kept closed or open, the
potential difference between the plate will be maintained.

• If the switch is opened and the plates are short circuited , the surplus electrons on
plate B travel to the plate A through the short circuited path.
Types of Capacitor:
Electrolytic Capacitor

Tantalum Capacitor

Ceramic Capacitor

Plastic Film Capacitor

Types of Capacitor:

Electrolytic Capacitor

Tantalum Capacitor

Ceramic Capacitor

Plastic Film Capacitor

Types of Capacitor:

Electrolytic Capacitor

Tantalum Capacitor

Ceramic Capacitor

Plastic Film Capacitor

Types of Capacitor:

Electrolytic Capacitor

Tantalum Capacitor

Ceramic Capacitor

Plastic Film Capacitor

Parallel Plate Capacitor
Capacitance in various cases

● Uniform Dielectric-Medium

● Medium Partly Air

● Composite Medium
Uniform Dielectric Medium
● A parallel-plate capacitor consisting of two plates M and N each of area A m2
separated by a thickness d metres of a medium of relative permittivity εr is
shown in Fig. 5.5. If a charge of + Q coulomb is given to plate M, then flux
passing through the medium is ψ = Q coulomb. Flux density in the medium is
𝜑 𝑄
𝐷= =
𝐴 𝐴

Electric intensity E = V/d and D = ε E

𝑄 𝑉
=ε
𝐴 𝑑
𝑄 𝐴
Therefore, =ε
𝑉 𝑑
Meduim Partly Air
● As shown in Fig. 5.6, the medium consists partly of air and partly of parallel-
sided dielectric slab of thickness t and relative permittivity εr. The electric flux
density D = Q/A is the same in both media. But electric intensities are
different.

------------(ii)

------------(iii)
Composite Medium
Multi-plate Capacitor
● The arrangement of Fig. 5.9. is equivalent to two capacitors joined
in parallel. Hence, its capacitance is double that of a single
capacitor. Similarly, the arrangement of Fig. 5.10 has four times the
capacitance of single capacitor.

The capacitance of such a capacitor is

where n is the number of plates which means that (n - 1) is the number of capacitors.
Capacitors in Series
𝑉 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉2 + 𝑉3

𝑄 𝑄 𝑄 𝑄
= + +
𝐶 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3
1 1 1 1
= + +
𝐶 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3

𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3
𝐶𝑒𝑞 =
C1, C2, C3 = Capacitances of three capacitors 𝐶1 𝐶2 + 𝐶2 𝐶3 + 𝐶3 𝐶1

V1, V2, V3 = p.ds. across three capacitors. 𝑄 = 𝐶1 𝑉1 = 𝐶2 𝑉2 =𝐶3 𝑉3 = 𝐶𝑒𝑞 𝑉

𝐶𝑒𝑞 𝐶2 𝐶3
V = applied voltage across combination 𝑉1 = 𝑉
𝐶1
=𝑉
𝐶1 𝐶2 + 𝐶2 𝐶3 + 𝐶3 𝐶1
𝐶𝑒𝑞 𝐶1 𝐶3
C = combined or equivalent or joining capacitance. 𝑉2 = 𝑉 =𝑉
𝐶2 𝐶1 𝐶2 + 𝐶2 𝐶3 + 𝐶3 𝐶1

In series combination, charge on all capacitors is the 𝑉3 = 𝑉

𝐶𝑒𝑞
=𝑉
𝐶1 𝐶2
same but p.d. across each is different 𝐶3 𝐶1 𝐶2 + 𝐶2 𝐶3 + 𝐶3 𝐶1
Capacitors in Parallel
𝑄 = 𝑄1 + 𝑄2 + 𝑄3

𝑄=𝐶𝑉
𝐶𝑒𝑞 𝑉 = 𝐶1 𝑉1 + 𝐶2 𝑉2 + 𝐶3 𝑉3

𝑉 = 𝑉1 = 𝑉2 = 𝑉3

𝐶𝑒𝑞 = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 + 𝐶3

C1, C2, C3 = Capacitances of three capacitors

Q1, Q2, Q3 = Charges of each capacitor.

V = applied voltage across combination

C = combined or equivalent or joining capacitance.

In series combination, charge on all capacitors is the

same but p.d. across each is different
Find the charges on capacitors in Fig. and the p.d. across them

Two capacitors A and B are connected in series across a 100 V

supply and it is observed that the p.d.s. across them are 60 V
and 40 V respectively. A capacitor of 2 μF capacitance is now
connected in parallel with A and the p.d. across B rises to 90
volts. Calculate the capacitance of A and B in microfarads.
Energy Stored in a Charged Capacitor
• The charging of capacitor involves expenditure of energy by the charging agency. This
energy is stored in the electrostatic field setup in the dielectric medium between the
plates of the capacitor. On discharging the capacitor, the electrostatic field collapses and
the stored energy is released.
• To begin with , when the capacitor is uncharged, little work done in transmitting charge
from one plate to another. But further installments of charge have to be carried against
the repulsive force due to the charge already collected in the capacitor plates.
• Suppose at any state of charging , the P.d across the plates is V volts, By definition, it is
equal to the work done in shifting one coulomb of charge from one plate to another.
𝑑𝑊 = 𝑉. 𝑑𝑞------------(1)
• Also, C=q/V (or) q=CV-------------------(2)
On differentiating,
dq= C dV-------------------(3)
Substituting (3) in (1)
𝑣
𝑑𝑊 = 0 𝐶 𝑉𝑑𝑉
𝑣
𝑉2
=𝐶 2
0
1
=2 𝐶𝑉 𝐽 ------------
2
(5)
Charging of Capacitor
In Fig. 5.29. (a) is shown an arrangement by which a capacitor C may be charged through a high resistance R
from a battery of V volts.

The voltage across C does not rise to V instantaneously but builds up slowly i.e. exponentially and not
linearly. Charging current ic is maximum at the start i.e.
when C is uncharged, then it decreases exponentially and finally ceases when p.d. across capacitor
plates becomes equal and opposite to the battery voltage V. At any instant during charging,
let
vc = p.d. across C; ic = charging current
q = charge on capacitor plates
Time Constant
Discharging of a Capacitor
• One practical application of the above charging
and discharging of a capacitor is found in digital
control circuits, where a square-wave input is
applied across an R-C circuit as shown in Fig.
5.32 (a).
• The different waveforms of the current and
voltages are shown in Fig. 5.32 (b), (c), (d), (e).
• The sharp voltage pulses of VR are used for
control
circuits.