Review figure 18.

24

Chapter 18 CYU CYU No. 17

19.5 Capacitors and dielectrics

Definition – two conductors of any shape placed near one another without touching. The
strength of the capacitor can be changed by placing an electrically insulating material
between the plates called dielectric.

The capacitor stores charge of the same magnitude, one positive and one negative. The
electrical potential difference exist between the two plates with positive plate being at
the higher potential. When the charge on the plates is increased, the electrical potential
increases, that is q ∝ V , introducing proportionality constant C, then q=CV , where C is
called capacitance of the capacitor.

The SI unit of capacitance is coulomb/volt = farad (F) The unit can be expressed in small
units namely μF=10−6 F , pF=10−12 F . To be revisited again when treating chapter 20.

Capacitors in series and in parallel

Two capacitors in parallel have the same potential across their plates, but they contain
different amount of charge. The charge stored by the capacitor is q=CV , hence
C p V =q1 +q 2=C1 V + C2 V =(C1 +C 2)V

This means capacitors in parallel can be combined as C p=C 1 +C 2+ ...

Two capacitors in series have the same charge on their plates, but battery voltage is
q
shared between given number of capacitors. The voltage across each capacitor is V = C ,
hence

V 1 +V 2=
q q
+ =
[1 1
+
C1 C 2 C1 C 2]q

1
[ 1
This means capacitors in series can be combined as C = C + C +...
S 1 2
1
]
 RC circuit

The circuit shows the time taken when the battery beginning charging the capacitor
plates. The charge on the plates builds up gradually to its equilibrium value
q 0=C V 0

When the capacitor start charging then the magnitude q of the charge on the plates
[ ]
−t
becomes q=q 0 1−e RC

The term RC in the exponent in the above equation is called time constant τ =RC and is
measured in seconds. (See CYU 21 and 22).

Definition : time constant is the time required for the capacitor to accumulate 63.2% of
its equilibrium charge and t is the time required to acquire a charge.. Taking natural
logarithms on both sides, then

[
t=−RC ln 1−
( q
q0 )]

When the capacitor start discharging then the magnitude q of the charge remaining on
−t
the plates becomes q=q 0 e RC .

q
The time taken to lose a charge (how many times constant) ist=−RC ln q
0 [ ( )] and the

charge remaining on each plate is q 0 e−1 =q0 (0.368). Similarly , the time constant is the time
required for the capacitor to lose 63.2% of its charge.

Read section 20.14

95 (8th ed)/. REASONING The equivalent capacitance CS of a set of three capacitors connected in

series is given by (Equation 20.19). In this case, we know that the equivalent
capacitance is CS = 3.00 F, and the capacitances of two of the individual capacitors in this series
combination are C1 = 6.00 F and C2 = 9.00 F. We will use Equation 20.19 to determine the
remaining capacitance C3.

SOLUTION Solving Equation 20.19 for C3, we obtain

Therefore, the third capacitance is

___________________________________________________
 C C C

R R C C
C
C C

+ +

(a) (b)

106( 8TH ED)/ 107( 9TH ED REASONING In either part of the drawing the time constant τ of the circuit
is , according to Equation 20.21, where R is the resistance and Ceq is the equivalent
capacitance of the capacitor combination. We will apply this equation to both circuits. To obtain the
equivalent capacitance, we will analyze the capacitor combination in parts. For the parallel capacitors
applies (Equation 20.18), while for the series capacitors
applies (Equation 20.19).

SOLUTION Using Equation 20.21, we write the time constant of each circuit as follows:

Dividing these two equations allows us to eliminate the unknown resistance algebraically:

(1)

To obtain the equivalent capacitance in part a of the drawing, we note that the two capacitors in series
in each branch of the parallel combination have an equivalent capacitance CS that can be determined
using Equation 20.19
 (2)

Using Equation 20.18, we find that the parallel combination in part a of the drawing has an equivalent
capacitance of

(3)

To obtain the equivalent capacitance in part b of the drawing, we note that the two capacitors in series
have an equivalent capacitance of , according to Equation (2). The two capacitors in parallel have
an equivalent capacitance of 2C, according to Equation 20.18. Finally, then, we have a series
combination of and 2C, for which Equation 20.19 applies:

(4)

Using Equations (3) and (4) in Equation (1), we find that

TRY IT YOURSELF BEFORE CHECKING THE SOLUTION

(101, 8th ed)/ 100, 9th Ed). REASONING AND SOLUTION The 7.00 and 3.00-F capacitors are in
parallel. According to Equation 20.18, the equivalent capacitance of the two is
7.00 F + 3.00 F = 10.0 F. This 10.0-F capacitance is in series with the 5.00- F capacitance.
According to Equation 20.19, the equivalent capacitance of the complete arrangement can be
obtained as follows:

The battery separates an amount of charge

–6 –6
Q = CV = (3.33  10 F)(30.0 V) = 99.9  10 C

This amount of charge resides on the 5.00 µF capacitor, so its voltage is

–6 –6
V5 = (99.9  10 C)/(5.00  10 F) = 20.0 V

The loop rule gives the voltage across the 3.00 µF capacitor to be

V3 = 30.0 V – 20.0 V = 10.0 V

TUTORIAL AND DISCUSSION

Read section 20.12 -20.14

8th ed 9th ed
Discussion 95 , 99,103 ----, 98, …. 83(mcq)
Study 104, 94,98,96,105,106,101 105, 93, 96,103,107,100

SECTION 20.10

(1). CYU NO.18,

8th ed 9th ed
Discussion 81,84 79,85,
Study 79,80,82,85,111 112,82,83,84,81

Test 2 Part 2 (9)

1. When two capacitors are connected in series, the equivalent capacitance of the combination is
120 µF. When the two are connected in parallel, however, the equivalent capacitance is 480 µF.
Calculate the capacitances of the individual capacitors. (4)

2. A simple RC circuit consists of a 1-F capacitor in series with a 2800- resistor, a 6-V battery,
and an open switch. Initially, the capacitor is uncharged. Calculate the time taken after the
switch is closed for the voltage across the capacitor to be be 4.1 V. (5).