KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA

NO.1 KUNJABAN AGARTALA

PHYSICS PROJECT
Session : 2024-25
A Project Report on
“Capacitance of a Capacitor”

Submitted by : Rohit Sapkota

Class : XII A

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express a deep sense of thanks
and gratitude to my project guide Shilpi Mam
(PGT Physics) for guiding me during the course
of the project. She always envinced keen intrest
in my project. Her constructive advice and
constant motivation have been responsible in
successful completion of this project.
I also express my thanks to my classmates for
their help throughout this project. I would also
like to thank my parents for supporting me
throughout the completion of the project.

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 CONTENTS

TOPICS PAGE NO.

1. Acknowledgement
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Objectives
5. Materials and Equipment
6. Experimental Procedure
7. Observations and Results
8. Conclusion
9. Future Scope and Bibliography

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 Title: Investigating Capacitance:
Understanding the factors affecting
Capacitance in Capacitors

Abstract: This investigatory project aims to explore the

concept of capacitance in capacitors, focusing on
understanding the factors that affect capacitance.
Capacitance is a fundamental property of capacitors,
determining their ability to store electrical charge.
Through this project, various factors such as the area of
the plates, distance between the plates, and the
dielectric material used will be investigated to
understand their influence on capacitance. The project
involves practical experimentation and theoretical
analysis to draw conclusions regarding the capacitance of
a capacitor.

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Introduction: Capacitance is a crucial concept in physics
and electrical engineering, particularly in the study of
capacitors. A capacitor is a passive two-terminal
electrical component that stores electrical energy in an
electric field. The ability of a capacitor to store charge is
quantified by its capacitance. Capacitance (C) is defined
as the ratio of the amount of charge (Q) stored on each
plate of the capacitor to the voltage (V) across the plates.
Mathematically, capacitance is expressed as 𝐶=𝑄/𝑉.
The capacitance of a capacitor depends on several
factors, including the area of the plates, the distance
between the plates, and the dielectric material between
them. These factors influence the electric field strength
and hence the amount of charge a capacitor can store for
a given voltage. This project aims to investigate how
these factors affect the capacitance of a capacitor.

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Objectives:
1. To understand the concept of capacitance and its
significance in capacitors.
2. To investigate the relationship between capacitance,
area of the plates, and distance between the plates.
3. To explore the impact of dielectric material on
capacitance.
4. To perform practical experiments to verify theoretical
concepts and draw conclusions regarding capacitance.

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Materials and Equipment:
1. Capacitors of different capacitances
2. Power supply
3. Multimeter
4. Dielectric materials (e.g., paper, plastic)
5. Ruler or calipers
6. Graph paper
7. Connecting wires
8. Switch
9. Vernier calipers

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EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
1. Effect of Area on Capacitance:
A) A capacitor is connected to a power supply and a
multimeter.
B) The capacitance of the capacitor is measured using the
multimeter.
C) The area of the capacitor is increased by adding
additional plates in parallel.
D) Step B is repeated and new capacitance has been
recorded.
E) A graph of capacitance versus area is plotted and
analyzed.
Area (m2) Capacitance (F)
0.0001 8.854 x 10-14
0.001 8.854 x 10-13
0.002 1.7708 x 10-12
0.003 2.6562 x 10-12
0.004 3.5416 x 10-12
0.005 4.427 x 10-12
0.006 5.3124 x 10-12

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2. Effect of Distance on Capacitance:
A) A capacitor with adjustable plate separation has
been used.

B) The capacitance of the capacitor at different

plate separations has been measured using the
multimeter.
C) The capacitance values for each distance has
been recorded.
D) A graph of capacitance versus distance has been
plot and analyzed.
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 Distance (m) Capacitance (F)
0.01 8.85 x 10-10
0.02 4.43 x 10-10
0.03 2.95 x 10-10
0.04 2.21 x 10-10
0.05 1.77 x 10-10
0.06 1.48 x 10-10
0.07 1.26 x 10-10

Graph of capacitance versus distance between the capacitors

3. Effect of Dielectric Material on Capacitance:

A) Different dielectric materials has been inserted
between the plates of a capacitor.

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B) The capacitance of the capacitor for each
dielectric material is measured.
C) The capacitance values has been measured and
compared.

D) The impact of dielectric materials on

capacitance has been analyzed.
Observations and Results:
The capacitance increases with an increase in the
area of the plates, showing a direct proportionality
between capacitance and plate area.

The capacitance decreases with an increase in the

distance between the plates, demonstrating an
inverse proportionality between capacitance and
plate separation.

Different dielectric materials exhibit varying effects

on capacitance, with some materials increasing
capacitance significantly while others have a
negligible impact.
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Conclusion:
Through this investigatory project, I have gained
insights into the factors affecting capacitance in
capacitors. During the course of different
experiments as stated above, it is observed that
the area of the plates, distance between the
plates, and the dielectric material used played
crucial roles in determining the capacitance of a
capacitor. By understanding these factors, we can
design capacitors with specific capacitance values
tailored to different applications, thereby
optimizing their performance in various electrical
systems.

Future Scope: Future studies could explore more

complex capacitor configurations, investigate the
influence of temperature on capacitance, and
delve deeper into the physics behind the dielectric
materials effects on capacitance. Additionally,
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advanced mathematical modeling could be
employed to predict capacitance under different
conditions accurately.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Wikipedia.com

2. Scribd.com
3. YouTube.com

4. Byjus.com
5. Unsplash.com

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THANK YOU

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