Physics

y 102: Lecture 04
Capacitors
(& batteries)

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 1

 Physics 102 so far
Basic principles of electricity
• Lecture 1 – electric charge & electric force
• Lecture 2 – electric field
• Lecture 3 – electric potential energy and electric potential

Applications of electricity – circuits

• Lecture 4 – capacitance
• Lecture 5 – resistance
• Lecture 6 – Kirchhoff’s rules
• Lecture 7 – RC circuits
• Lecture 12 & 13 – AC circuits
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 2
 Recall from last lecture…..
Electric Fields, Electric Potential

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 3

 Co p so :
Comparison:
Electric Potential Energy vs. Electric Potential
q
A B

ΔVAB : the difference in electric potential between

points B and A
ΔUAB : the change in electric potential energy of a
charge
h q when
h movedd from
f A tto B
ΔUAB = q ΔVAB

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 4

 Electric Potential: Summary
y
• E field lines point from higher
to lower
l potential
i l E field
E-field
• For positive charges, going
f
from hi h to
higher t lower
l potential
t ti l
is “downhill” + –
Positive charges tend to go
“downhill”, from + to −
Negative charges go in the opposite Equipotential lines
direction, from − to +

ΔUAB = q ΔVAB
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 5
 Uniform Electric Field:
I
Important
t t Special
S i l Case
C
Two large parallel conducting plates of area A
+Q on one plate
−Q on other plate + –
+ E –
+Q –Q
Then E is + –
• uniform between the two pplates: +A –
A–
E=4πkQ/A +
• zero everywhere else + –
• This result is independent of plate + –
separation + –
d
This is called a parallel plate capacitor
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 6
 Parallel Plate Capacitor:
Potential
i l Difference
iff
Charge
g Q on pplates
V =VA – VB = +E d
=4 π k Q d / A
Voltage is proportional
to the charge! PhET Simulation
E
+ -
+ -
+ -
A B
+ -
+ -
d

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 7

 Capacitance: The ability to store
separated charge C≡Q/V
• Any pair conductors separated by a small
distance (e.g.
distance. (e g two
t o metal plates)
• Capacitor stores separated charge Q=CV
– Positive Q on one conductor, negative Q on other
– Net charge
g is zero
+ –

• Stores Energy U =(½) Q V +

E
–
+ –
+ –
Units:
1 Coulomb/Volt + –
d
= 1 Farad (F)
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 8
 Why
y Separate
p Charge?
g
A way to store and release energy!

• Camera Flash
• Defibrillator
• AC → DC
• Tuners / resonant circuits
– Radio
– Cell phones
• Cell
C ll membranes
b

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 9

 Capacitance of
P ll l Plate
Parallel Pl t Capacitor
C it
V = Ed E=4πkQ/A V
(Between two large plates) E
+Q –Q
So: V = 44πkQd/A
S kQd/A
A A
Recall: C≡Q/V
So: C = A/(4πkd)
eca :
Recall:
d
ε0 =1/(4πk)=8.85x10-12 C2/Nm2
C =ε0A/d
Parallel plate capacitor
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 10
 Dielectric +
+ -+ -+ -+
-
-
+ -
-+ -+ -+ -
• Placing g a dielectric +
+ -
+ -+ -+ -+ -
(insulator) between the +
+ -+ -+ -+
-
-
pplates increases the +
+
-
-
d
capacitance.
Dielectric
constant (κ > 1)

C = κ C0 Capacitance
without dielectric

Capacitance
p with
dielectric For same charge Q, E (and V)
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 11
is reduced so C = Q/V increases
 ACT: Parallel Plates
- +
-Q +Q
- +
d
pull - + pull
- +

A parallel plate capacitor given a charge Q. The plates are then pulled a small
distance further apart.
apart What happens to the charge Q on each plate of the
capacitor?

A) Increases B) Constant C) Decreases

Remember charge is real/physical

real/physical. There is no place for the
charges to go.
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 12
 - +
-Q +Q
- +
Ch kP i 4.1
CheckPoint 41 pull - d + pull
- +
A parallel plate capacitor given a charge Q. The plates are then pulled a small
distance further apart. Which of the following apply to the situation after the plates
have been moved?

1)The capacitance increases 87% True False

C = ε0A/d C decreases!
2)The electric field increases 92% True False
E= Q/(ε0A)
E Constant
3)The voltage between the plates increases 19% True False
V= Ed

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 13

 ACT/CheckPoint 4.1 - +
-Q +
+Q
-
d
pull - + pull
- +
A parallel plate capacitor given a charge Q. The plates are then pulled a small
distance further apart. Which of the following apply to the situation after the plates
have been moved?

The energy stored in the capacitor

A) increases B) constant C) decreases

U= ½ QV Q constant, V increased
Plates
Pl t are attracted
tt t d tot eachh other,
th you mustt pull ll them
th
apart, so the potential energy of the plates increases.
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 14
 Capacitors are used in circuits!
• In circuits, elements are connected by wires.
• Any connected region of wire has the same
potential.
i l
• The potential difference across an element is the
element’ss “voltage
element voltage.”

Vwire
i 1= 0 V Vwire
i 2= 5 V Vwire
i 3= 12 V Vwire
i 4= 15 V

C1 C2 C3

VC1= 5-0 V= 5 V VC2= 12-5 V= 7 V VC3= 15-12 V= 3 V

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 15

To understand complex
p circuits…
C2

+
ε C1 C3
-

…treat capacitors
p in
+
series and parallel as a ε
Ceq
-
fictitious equivalent
q
capacitor!
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 16
 Capacitors in Parallel
• Both ends connected together by wire
• Same voltage: V1 = V2 = Veq
• Share Charge: Qeq = Q1+Q2
• Equivalent C: Ceq = C1+C2
Add areas – remember C=ε0A/d

15 V
15 V 15 V
C1
The C2 Ceq
10 V 10 V 10 V
the pair acts just
like this one!
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 17
 Parallel Practice
A 4 μF capacitor and 6 μF capacitor are connected in parallel
and charged to 5 volts
volts. Calculate Ceq, and the charge on
each capacitor.
Ceq = C4+C6 = 4 μF+6 μF = 10 μF
Q4 = C4 V4 = (4 μF)(5 V) = 20 μC
Q6 = C6 V6 = (6 μF)(5 V) = 30 μC
Qeq = Ceq Veq = (10 μF)(5 V) = 50 μC = Q4+Q6

5V 5V V=5V 5V
C4 C6 Ceq
0V 0V 0V
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 18
 Capacitors in Series
• Connected end-to-end with NO other exits
• Same Charge: Q1 = Q2 = Qeq
• Share Voltage:V1+V2=Veq
• Equivalent C: Add d – remember C=ε0A/d

+Q 5V
+ +Q
Q 5V
C1 +
-Q -
+Q Ceq
+
C2 -Q
Q -
-Q - 0V
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 19
0V
 Series Practice
A 4 μF capacitor and 6 μF capacitor are connected in series and charged
to 5 volts. Calculate Ceq, and the charge on the 4 μF capacitor.

Q = CV

+Q 5V
+
+Q 5V
C4 +
-Q
Q -
Ceq
+Q -Q -
+
C6 0V
-Q
Q -
0V
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 20
 Comparison:
Series vs. Parallel
Series Parallel
• Can follow a wire from • Can find a loop of wire
one element to the other containingg both elements
with no branches in but no others (may have
between. branches).

C1
C1 C2
C2

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 21

 Electromotive Force

• Battery
– Maintains constant potential
difference V (electromotive +
force – emf ε)
-
– Does NOT produce or supply
charges,
g , just
j “pushes”
p them.

Like a ppump
p for charge!
g Usually “0V”
by convention
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 22
 CheckPoint 4.4
A circuit consists of three initially uncharged capacitors C1, C2, and
C3, which are then connected to a battery of emf ε. The capacitors
obtain
bt i charges
h q1, q2, q3, andd have
h voltages
lt across their
th i plates
l t V1 ,
V2, and V3. Ceq is the equivalent capacitance of the circuit. Which of
these are true?

1) q1 = q2 C2

2) q2 = q3
+q2 -q2
3) V2 = V3 + V2
ε +q1 C1 +q3 C3
- V1 V3
4) ε = V1 -q1 -q3

5) V1 < V2

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 23

 ACT/CheckPoint 4.4: Which is true?
A circuit consists of three initially uncharged capacitors C1, C2, and
C3, which are then connected to a battery of emf ε. The capacitors
obtain
bt i charges
h q1, q2, q3, andd have
h voltages
lt across their
th i plates
l t V1 ,
V2, and V3. Ceq is the equivalent capacitance of the circuit.
C2

+q2 -q2
+ V2
ε +q1 C1 +q3 C3
- V1 V3
-q1 -q3

1) q1 = q2 Not necessarily.
y C1 and C2 are NOT in series.
2) q2 = q3 Yes! C2 and C3 are in series.
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 24
 ACT/CheckPoint 4.4: Which is true?
A circuit consists of three initially uncharged capacitors C1, C2, and
C3, which are then connected to a battery of emf ε. The capacitors
obtain
bt i charges
h q1, q2, q3, andd have
h voltages
lt across their
th i plates
l t V1 ,
V2, and V3. Ceq is the equivalent capacitance of the circuit.
C2
10V ?? V
+q2 -q2
+ V2
ε +q1 C1 +q3 C3
- V1 V3
-q1 -q3
0V

1)) V2 = V3 Not necessarily,

y, onlyy if C2 = C3
2) ε = V1 Yes! Both ends are connected by wires
Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 25
 Recap of Today’s Lecture
• Capacitance C = Q/V
• Parallel Plate: C = ε0A/d
• Capacitors in parallel: Ceq = C1+C2
• C
Capacitors
i in
i series:
i 1/Ceq = 1/C1+1/C
1/C2
• Batteries provide fixed potential difference

Physics 102: Lecture 4, Slide 26