CAPACITANCE

Capacitors
 A capacitor is a useful device for storing charge and energy.
It consists of two conductors insulated from each other.
 A typical capacitor, called a parallel-plate capacitor consists
of two large metallic plates with area 𝐴, separated by a
small distance 𝑑 (see diagram).
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 When the plates are connected to a charging device,

e. g., a battery, charge is transferred from one
conductor to the other until the potential difference
between the conductors due to their equal and
opposite charges equals the potential difference
between the battery terminals.
 The amount of charge separated (which equals the
magnitude of the charge on either conductor) is
directly proportional to the potential difference 𝑉.
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 The constant of proportionality 𝐶, (which depends only

on the geometry of the conductors) is called the
capacitance:
𝑄 = 𝐶𝑉
𝑄
⟹𝐶=
𝑉
 The SI unit of capacitance is the coulomb per volt, called
a farad (F). The farad is a rather large unit and
submultiples such as the microfarad (1µF = 10-6 F),
nanofarad (1 nF = 10-9 F) or the picofarad
(1 pF = 10-12 F) are often used. the electronic symbol
for a capacitor is shown in the diagram.
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Different types
of capacitors are
shown in the
diagram.
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Capacitor combinations
Capacitors in Series
When different
capacitors are
arranged in series,
they carry equal
charges but the
potential drops
across the capacitors are different.
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We can write that:

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We therefore use the reciprocal formula for calculating

the total capacitance of capacitors in series.
Capacitors
in parallel
When different
capacitors are
arranged in
parallel, the
p.d. across the
combination is the same but the charges are different.
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We can write that:

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Worked examples
Four 2 μF capacitors are connected as shown in the
diagram.
Calculate the
total
capacitance.
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Solution
C2 and C3 are in parallel. Let the total capacitance of C2
and C3 be equal to C, then :
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Example 2
The diagram shows a network of capacitors connected to a
9 V battery.
Calculate
(a)The equivalent
capacitance of
the capacitors.
(b)The charge on
each capacitor.
(c)The potential
difference across
each capacitor.
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Answers
(a) 2.67 μF.
(b) 24 μC on each 8 μF capacitor, 18 μC on the 6 μF
capacitor and 6 μC on the 2 μF capacitor.
(c) 3 V across each capacitor.
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Problem
The diagram shows a network of capacitors connected to a
voltage source.
Calculate:
(i) the equivalent
capacitance of the
capacitors.
(ii) the charge on
each capacitor.
(iii) the potential
difference across
each capacitor.
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Charging and discharging of capacitors

Charging
Let us consider circuits containing capacitors in which the current is
not steady but varies with time.
The diagram shows a circuit for charging a capacitor. It consists of a
source of emf, Ԑ
a switch S and a
resistor R
connected in
series with a
capacitor C
which is initially
uncharged when
the switch is open.
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 When the switch is closed at time t = 0, charge will

flow into the capacitor. If the charge on the
capacitor at a time t is Q and the current in the
circuit is I, then by Kirchhoff’s voltage law we obtain:
Q
  VR  VC  IR  …………………………..(1)
C
 Current is rate of flow of charge. In this circuit, the
current equals the rate of increase of charge on the
capacitor: dQ
I  ……………………………(2)
dt
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 Substituting (2) into (1) we obtain

dQ Q
 R  ……………………………(3)
dt C
 Equation (3) is a differential equation, which can be
solved for Q(t) resulting in:


Q(t)  C 1  et / RC  …………………..(4)
 Equation (4) can be written as 𝑄 𝑡 = 𝑄𝑜 (1 − 𝑒 −𝑡/𝐶𝑅 )
where 𝑄𝑜 = 𝐶𝜀 is the maximum charge.
 Differentiating equation (4), we obtain an expression for
current as: dQ  t / RC
I  e ………………..(5)
dt R
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Discharging
The diagram shows a fully charged capacitor with an
initial charge +Q0
on the upper plate
and –Q0 on the
lower plate. It is
connected to a
resistor R and a
switch S, which is open to prevent charge from flowing
through the resistor R.
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 The potential difference across the capacitor is initially

Ԑ = Q0/C, where C is the capacitance. There is no
potential difference across the resistor R since there is no
current flowing with the switch S open.
 When the switch is closed at time t = 0, there will be a
potential difference across the resistor which will cause
an initial current of I0 = Ԑ /R in the circuit.
 The current will be due to the flow of charge from the
positive plate to the negative plate through the resistor.
 After a certain time t, the charge on the capacitor will be
reduced.
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 Current is rate of flow of charge. The rate of decrease

of the charge is therefore equal to the current flowing
in the circuit. If the charge on the capacitor at any
time is Q, the current I at that time will be:
dQ
I  ……………………(1)
dt
 After the circuit is closed we reach a point where the
p.d. across capacitor equals p.d. across resistor i.e.
𝑄
= 𝐼𝑅 …………………………(2)
𝐶
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 Substituting for I by – dQ/dt we have:

dQ Q
R 
dt C
dQ 1
⟹  Q ……………………(3)
dt RC
 Equation (3) is a differential equation which can be
solved by rearranging and integrating thus:
dQ t  dt
 
Q

Q0 Q 0 RC

⟹ Qt   Q0 e t / RC
 Q0 e t / tc
……………(4)
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where tc = RC is the time in which the charge will decrease

to 1/e of its initial value. It is called the time constant of the
circuit.
The current is obtained by differentiating equation (4),
giving:
dQ Q0 t / RC t / RC
I   e  I 0e ……………… (5)
dt RC
where I0 = Q0/RC = Ԑ /R is the initial current. The current
also decays exponentially with time and falls to 1/e of its
initial value after a time tc = RC.
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Worked example
A 6 V battery of negligible internal resistance
is used to charge a 2 μF capacitor through a
100 Ω resistor. Find
(a) the initial current
(b) the maximum charge
(c) the time constant of the circuit
(d) the time required to obtain 90 percent of
the maximum charge.
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Solution

(a) The initial current is given by

Io = ε/R = 6/100 = 0,06 A.

(b) The maximum charge is given by

Qo = εC = 6 x 2 x 10-6 = 12 µC

(c) The time constant of the circuit is

RC =100 x 2 x 10-6
= 200 µs.
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(d) Using 𝑄 𝑡 = 𝑄𝑜 (1 − 𝑒 −𝑡/𝐶𝑅 ), we solve for t when

𝑄 = 90% of 𝑄𝑜
90
⟹ 𝑄𝑜 = 𝑄𝑜 (1 − 𝑒 −𝑡/𝐶𝑅 )
100
90
⟹ = 1 − 𝑒 −𝑡/𝐶𝑅
100
⟹ 0.1 = 𝑒 −𝑡/𝐶𝑅
⟹ −𝑡/𝐶𝑅 = ln0.1
⟹ 𝑡 = −𝐶𝑅ln0.1
⟹ 𝑡 = −2 x 10−6 x100 ln0.1
⟹ 𝑡 = 4.6 x 10−4 𝑠