FIZ-212 GENERAL PHYSICS-2

Electromagnetism
Dr. Ayben Karasu Uysal [email protected]

Today:
Capacitance and Dielectrics
1- Definition of Capacitance
2- Calculating Capacitance
3- Capacitors
4- Energy Stored in a Charged Capacitor
5- Combinations of Capacitors with Dielectrics
6- An Atomic Description of Dielectrics

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Introduction
• We will introduce the first of three simple circuit elements
that can be connected with wires to form an electric circuit.
• We shall discuss capacitors, devices that store electric
charge.
• Capacitors are commonly used in a variety of electric
circuits.
• For instance, they are used to tune the frequency of radio
receivers, as filters in power supplies, to eliminate sparking
in automobile ignition systems, and as energy-storing
devices in electronic flash units.
• A capacitor consists of two conductors separated by an
insulator. The capacitance of a given capacitor depends on
its geometry and on the material, called a dielectric, that
separates the conductors. 22
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 4.1 Definition of Capacitance
• Combination of two conductors carrying charges of equal
magnitude and opposite sign is called a capacitor.
• The conductors are called plates.
• A potential difference ΔV exists between the conductors due
to the presence of the charges.
• Quantity of charge Q on a capacitor is linearly proportional
to the potential difference between the conductors; that is,
QαΔV

• The capacitance C of a capacitor is defined as the ratio of the magnitude of the

charge on either conductor to the magnitude of the potential difference between
the conductors: C=Q/ΔV
• capacitance is always a positive quantity.
• SI units of coulombs per volt=Farad 1F=1C/V

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 4.2 Calculating Capacitance
• We can derive an expression for the capacitance of a pair of oppositely
charged conductors.

• Assume a charge of magnitude Q , and calculate the potential

difference using the techniques described in the last lecture.

• We then use the expression C=Q /ΔV to evaluate the capacitance.

• We can perform this calculation relatively easily if the geometry of the

capacitor is simple.

• The capacitance of a pair of conductors depends on the geometry of

the conductors.

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 4.2.1 Parallel Plate Capacitors
• Amount of charge that can be stored on a plate for a given potential
difference increases as the plate area is increased.
• Thus, we expect the capacitance to be proportional to the plate area
A.
• Electric field between the plates must increase as d is decreased.
• If d is increased, the charge decreases. As a result, we expect the
capacitance of the pair of plates to be inversely proportional to d.

1. Electric field inside the plate E = E++E-= 2(σ/2ε0) = σ/ε0 = Q/Aε0

2. Because the field between the plates is uniform ΔV = Ed = Qd/Aε0
3. C=Q/ΔV = ε0A/d

That is, the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor is proportional to the

area of its plates and inversely proportional to the plate separation

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 4.2.2 Cylindrical Capacitors
A solid cylindrical conductor of radius a and charge Q is coaxial with a cylindrical shell of
negligible thickness, radius b>a, and charge –Q. Find the capacitance of this cylindrical
capacitor if its length is l.

From Gauss’s Law

! ! qin +Q λ.ℓ 2kλ

#∫ Eid s =
ε0
⇒ E.2πrℓ =
ε0
=
ε0
⇒ E =
ε0 r

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 4.2.3 Spherical Capacitors
A spherical capacitor consists of a spherical conducting shell of radius b and charge -Q
concentric with a smaller conducting sphere of radius a and charge Q. Find the capacitance of
this device.

From Gauss’s Law

! ! qin +Q kQ
"∫ = ⇒ = ⇒ =
2
Eid s E.4πr E
ε0 ε0 r2

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 4.3 Combinations of Capacitors – Parallel Combination
1. The individual potential differences across capacitors connected in
parallel are the same and are equal to the potential difference applied
across the combination (ΔV1=ΔV2=ΔV).
ΔV, Q1

2. The total charge on capacitors connected in parallel is the sum of the

charges on the individual capacitors (Q1+Q2=Q).
ΔV, Q2
3. If we want to replace these two capacitors by one equivalent capacitor
having a capacitance Ceq.

4. The effect of this equivalent capacitor on the circuit must be exactly

the same as the effect of the combination of the two individual ΔV,
capacitors. Q=Q1+ Q2
➔ ➔

5. The equivalent capacitance of a parallel combination of capacitors

is the algebraic sum of the individual capacitances and is greater
than any of the individual capacitances.

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 4.3 Combinations of Capacitors – Series Combination
1. The charges on capacitors connected in series are same(Q1=Q2=Q).

2. The total potential difference across any number of capacitors

connected in series is the sum of the potential differences across the
individual capacitors (ΔV=ΔV1+ΔV2)

3. equivalent capacitor

➔ ➔

4. The inverse of the equivalent capacitance is the algebraic sum

of the inverses of the individual capacitances and the equivalent
capacitance of a series combination is always less than any
individual capacitance in the combination.

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 Example 1: Find the equivalent capacitance between a and b for the combination of
capacitors shown in Figure-a. All capacitances are in microfarads.

1. The 1.0µF and 3.0µF capacitors are in parallel and combine according to the expression
Ceq=C1+C2=4.0µF. (a)

2. Thus, the upper branch consists of two 4.0 µF capacitors in series (b)

3. The 6.0 µF and 2.0µF capacitors are in parallel and combine according to the expression
Ceq=C1+C2=8.0µF. (a)

4. Thus, the lower branch consists of two 8.0µF capacitors in series, which which combine to yield an
equivalent capacitance of 4.0µF (b)

5. Finally, the 2.0µF and 4.0µF capacitors in are in parallel and thus have an equivalent capacitance of
6.0µF (c) 10
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 4.4 Energy Stored in a Charged Capacitor
1. The potential difference across the capacitor is ΔV=q/C.

2. The work necessary to transfer an increment of charge dq from the plate carrying
charge -q to the plate carrying charge +q is dW=ΔV dq = (q/C) dq

3. The total work required to charge the capacitor from q=0 to some final charge q=Q is

4. The work done in the capacitor appears as electric potential energy U stored in the
capacitor.

5. This result applies to any capacitor, regardless of its geometry.

6. Energy density (u=U/Ad) in any electric field is proportional to the square of the
magnitude of the electric field at a given point.
U U 1 1 ε0 A 1
u= = = CΔV 2 = ( Ed )2 = ε 0 E 2
Volume Ad 2 Ad 2 Ad d 2 1111
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 Example 2: Two capacitors C1 and C2 (where C1>C2) are charged to the same initial
potential difference ΔVi .The charged capacitors are removed from the battery, and
their plates are connected with opposite polarity as in Figure-a. The switches S1 and S2
are then closed, as in Figure-b.
(A) Find the final potential difference ΔVf between a
and b after the switches are closed.
QT ,initial = QT , final = Q

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 Example 2: Two capacitors C1 and C2 (where C1>C2) are charged to the same initial
potential difference ΔVi .The charged capacitors are removed from the battery, and
their plates are connected with opposite polarity as in Figure-a. The switches S1 and S2
are then closed, as in Figure-b.

(B) Find the total energy stored in the capacitors before

and after the switches are closed and the ratio of the
final energy to the initial energy.

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 4.5 Capacitor with Dielectrics
1. A dielectric is a nonconducting material, such as rubber, glass, or waxed paper.
2. When a dielectric is inserted between the plates of a capacitor, the capacitance
increases.
3. If the dielectric completely fills the space between the plates, the capacitance increases
by a dimensionless factor κ, which is called the dielectric constant of the material.

4. The capacitance increases by the factor κ when the dielectric completely fills the region
between the plates.

For parallel plate capacitor

5. Dielectric provides the following advantages:

A. Increase in capacitance
B. Increase in maximum operating voltage
C. Possible mechanical support between the plates, which allows the plates to be
close together without touching, thereby decreasing d and increasing C.
6. Dielectric Strength (Emax): For any given separation d, the maximum voltage that can
be applied to a capacitor without causing a discharge depends on the dielectric strength
(maximum electric field) of the dielectric.
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 Example 3: A parallel-plate capacitor has plates of dimensions 2.0 cm by 3.0 cm
separated by a 1.0-mm thickness of paper.

(A) Find its capacitance (κ=3.7 for paper)

(B) What is the maximum charge that can be placed on the capacitor? (dielectric strength of
capacitor is 16.106 V/m)

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 4.6 An Atomic Description of Dielectrics
1. If E0 is the electric field without the dielectric, the field in the presence of a dielectric is
E=E0/κ
2. Consider a slab of dielectric material placed between the plates of a capacitor so that it
is in a uniform electric field E0.
3. The electric field due to the plates is directed to the right and polarizes the dielectric.
4. The induced surface charges on the dielectric give rise to an induced electric field
Eind in the direction opposite the external field E0.

5. Therefore, the net electric field E in the dielectric has a magnitude

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 Example 4: A parallel-plate capacitor has a plate separation d and plate area A. An
uncharged metallic slab of thickness a is inserted midway between the plates. Find the
capacitance of the device.

capacitor is equivalent to two capacitors in series,

each having a plate separation (d-a)/2 and plate area A

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 Example 5: A parallel-plate capacitor with a plate separation d has a capacitance C0 in
the absence of a dielectric. What is the capacitance when a slab of dielectric material
of dielectric constant κ and thickness 1/3 d is inserted between the plates?

We can consider this system to be the series combination of the two capacitors

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SUMMARY-1

1. A capacitor consists of two conductors carrying charges of equal magnitude and

opposite sign. The capacitance C of any capacitor is the ratio of the charge Q on
either conductor to the potential difference ΔV between them:

2. The capacitance depends only on the geometry of the conductors and not on an
external source of charge or potential difference.

3. The SI unit of capacitance is coulombs per volt, or the farad (F), and 1F=1 C/V.

4. The equivalent capacitance of a parallel combination of capacitors is

5. If two or more capacitors are connected in series, the charge is the same on all of
them, and the equivalent capacitance of the series combination is given by

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SUMMARY-2

6. Energy is stored in a capacitor because the charging process is equivalent to the

transfer of charges from one conductor at a lower electric potential to another
conductor at a higher potential. The energy stored in a capacitor with charge Q is

7. When a dielectric material is inserted between the plates of a capacitor, the

capacitance increases by a dimensionless factor κ, called the dielectric constant.

8. The increase in capacitance is due to a decrease in the magnitude of the electric

field in the presence of the dielectric. The decrease in the magnitude of E arises
from an internal electric field produced by aligned dipoles in the dielectric.

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