September 2012

Experiment 32: Capacitors

Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to:
(1) review the concepts of capacitors
(2) review capacitors in series and parallel
(3) verify the concepts of series and parallel capacitor DC circuits

Apparatus
circuit board (breadboard), 5 capacitors (10μF,47μF, 100μF, 330μF,470μF), multimeter with
two leads, needle nose pliers, 5 short wires

Theory
If a difference of potential V is maintained across the terminals of a device of capacitance C, a
charge Q will appear on the plates. The capacitance is measured in units of farads and is defined
as:
Q
C
V

Capacitors in Series
For capacitors connected in series (see figure below), the charge on each capacitor is the same
and is equal to the total charge QTOT supplied by the battery:
QTOT = Q1 = Q2 = Q3 = ...
The sum of the potential differences around a closed circuit equals VTOT, the potential difference
across the battery. For N capacitors in series:
N
VTOT = Vl + V2 + V3 +... =  Vi
i 1
Dividing by Q and using the definition of capacitance, we find that the total capacitance of the
circuit is given by:
N
1 1 1 1 1
    ...  
CTOT C1 C2 C3 i 1 Ci

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 Experiment 32

Capacitors in Parallel
As in all parallel circuits (see figure below), the potential difference across each element
connected in parallel (each capacitor) is equal to the potential difference across the battery VTOT:
VTOT = V1 = V2 = V3 = …
The total charge supplied by the battery, QTOT, is equal to the sum of the charges on each
capacitor:
N
QTOT = Q1+Q2+Q3+...= Q
i 1
i

Dividing by V, we find that the total capacitance CTOT of the circuit is given by:
N
C TOT  C1  C2  C3  ...   Ci
i 1

Preliminary Procedure
Become familiar with your apparatus:

Multimeter

1. The power switch is the orange button on the left, just below the display.

2. To measure capacitance:
a) Press L/C/R until you get “F” (farads) at the lower right hand corner.
b) Press FREQ until you get 120 Hz setting (the lower position).
c) Insert the red lead into the left terminal marked “+” and the black lead into the right
terminal marked “-”.
d) Place the other end of each lead across the capacitor and read the display.

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 Experiment 32

Circuit Board (Bread Board)

You will wire your circuit in a breadboard (pictured above). A breadboard is a board with
holes in it where you can insert circuit elements like wires, capacitors, resistors, etc. The holes
in half of each central column are electrically connected. The holes in half of each row are also
electrically connected. (The lines indicate electrical connectivity in the figure below.)

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 Experiment 32

Procedure Part I. Capacitors in Series Circuits

(a) Each capacitor is marked with its capacitance in microfarads (10-6 farads - written μF).
These marked values are only approximate. Use the multimeter to measure the capacitance of
each capacitor more accurately. Record these values on your data sheet to tenths (0.1μF). Label
the smallest capacitance C1, the next largest C2, and so on up to C5 the largest.

Label (Ci) Measured Capacitance

(b) Copy this table to your data sheet:

Experimental Experimental
CIRCUIT Equivalent CIRCUIT Equivalent
Capacitance Capacitance
Series-Parallel
C1and C2 in Series Circuit #1
C1, C2, and C3 in Series-Parallel
Series Circuit #2
C1, C2, C3 and C4 Series-Parallel
in Series Circuit #3

Series-Parallel
C1and C2 in Parallel Circuit #4

C1, C2, and C3 in

Parallel
C1, C2, C3 and C4
in Parallel

(c) Wire the following circuits. If you are not sure about your connections, ask your lab
instructor for help.

1: Capacitors in Series
a. Create a circuit with C1and C2 in series
b. Use the multimeter to measure the equivalent capacitance of the circuit. Record this value on
your data sheet as the experimental value.
c. Create a circuit with C1, C2, and C3 in series. Measure and record your experimental value.
d. Create a circuit with C1, C2, C3 and C4 in series. Measure and record your experimental
value.

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 Experiment 32

Procedure Part II. Capacitors in Parallel Circuits

2: Capacitors in Parallel
a. Create a circuit with the C1and C2 in parallel. Measure and record your experimental value.
b. Create a circuit with C1, C2, and C3 in parallel. Measure and record your experimental
value.
c. Create a circuit with C1, C2, C3 and C4 in parallel. Measure and record your experimental
value.

Procedure Part III. Capacitors in Series-Parallel Circuits

3: Series-Parallel Circuits
a. Wire the circuit boards to create the series-parallel circuit shown to
the right as Circuit 1. Repeat your measurements as before.
NOTE : Have your lab instructor look at the circuit to make sure your
connections are correct.

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 Experiment 32

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 Experiment 32

b. Wire the circuit boards to create the series-parallel circuit

shown to the right as Circuit 2. Repeat all the steps as
before.

c. Wire the circuit boards to create the series-parallel circuit

shown to the right as Circuit 3. Repeat all the steps as
before.

d. Wire the circuit boards to create the series-parallel

circuit shown to the right as circuit 4. Repeat all the
steps as before.

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LAB REPORT

Part I and Part II.

1. Copy your experimental equivalent capacitance values to the following table. Use the formulas
given in the theory section to calculate the equivalent capacitance of each series and parallel
capacitor configuration. Show your calculations of the equivalent capacitance. Record the
values in the table as Calculated Equivalent Capacitance.

% Discrepancy
Experimental Calculated
2. Between Calculated
CIRCUIT Equivalent Equivalent
Find and Experimental the
Capacitance Capacitance
Values
Two Capacitors In Series

Three Capacitors In Series

Four Capacitors In Series

Two Capacitor in Parallel

Three Capacitor in Parallel

Four Capacitor in Parallel
percent difference between the calculated and experimental value.

Part III.
3. Copy your capacitance data to the following table. Carefully analyze each circuit and use the
parallel and series capacitance formulas above to calculate the equivalent capacitance of each
series-parallel capacitor configuration. Show your calculations of the equivalent capacitance in
your report. Record your calculated value in the table as the Calculated Equivalent
Capacitance.

% Discrepancy
Experimental Calculated
Between Calculated
Equivalent Equivalent
CIRCUIT and Experimental
Capacitance Capacitance
Values
Series-Parallel Circuit
#1
Series-Parallel Circuit
#2
Series-Parallel Circuit
#3
Series-Parallel Circuit
4. Find #4 the
percent difference between the calculated and experimental value.

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