ELECTROSTATICS AND CAPACITANCE

Circuits in which electrons are in constant motion are dynamic circuits, and the
phenomenon associated with electrons in motion is often referred to as dynamic electricity.
Furthermore, when the electron flow is unidirectional only it is called direct-current dynamic
electricity, or briefly direct current.

Laws of Electrostatics:
1. Like charges repel each other, unlike charges attract each other.
2. The force exerted between two charges is directly proportional to the product of their
strengths and is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two
charges.

Coulomb’s Law: (The force between two charged bodies)

+Q1 +Q2

F d F

Q1 Q2 9 Q1 Q2
F=k ≅ 9 x 10
d2 d2
1
k= ≅ 9 x 10 9
4 π ε0 εr
Where: F – force in Newton
Q1 ,Q 2 – respective charges on the particles in Coulombs
ε 0 – absolute permittivity, 8.85410−12 Farad/meter
ε r – relative permittivity or dielectric constant, 1 free space
d – distance between the charge particles

Capacitance
The arrangement of two enlarged plates that are separated by an insulating medium as
shown in the figure below constitutes a capacitor, and the property which permits it to
accumulate and store electric charge is called capacitance.
Q
Q=CE or C=
E
Where: Q- charge in coulombs
C- capacitance in farad
E- voltage in volts
10 9 kA
C=
4 π c2 d ( )
farads
Where: c- velocity of light, cm per sec=3 x 1010 cm per sec
k- dielectric constant (see table 1)
 A- Total cross-sectional area of dielectric path between surface contacts of
plates, sq cm
d- thickness of the dielectric, cm
Table 1: Dielectric Constant
Materials Dielectric Materials Dielectric
constant, k constant, k
bakelite 4.5-5.5 paper 2-3.5
castor oil 4.7 paraffin 2.1-2.5
Chlorinated diphenyl 4.95 Polystyrene 2.6
Fiber 2.5-5 Porcelain 5.7-7
Glass 5.5-9 Pressboard, oiled 5
Gutta-percha 3.3-4.9 Rubber 2-4
Isolantite 6.1 Steatite 5.9
Mica 2.5-6.6 Water 81
oil 2.2-4.7 wood 2.5-7.7

Example 1. Calculate the force between two charged particles placed 10−13 meter apart from
each other. The charged of each particle is 3.5 x 10−19 C.
Q Q ( 3.5 x 10−19 ) ( 3.5 x 10−19 )
F=k 1 2 2 = 2
d ( 10−13 )
F=0.11 Newton

Example 2. Three point charges are placed at the corners of an equilateral triangle as shown.
Calculate the resultant force exerted on the charges 3Q where q=2µC.
−2 Q
2cm
2cm F 2 F
F1
+Q 2cm +3 Q
−2 2
3QQ 3 ( 2 x 10 )
F 1=9 x 109 2 =9 x 10 9
d ( 0.02 )2
F 1=270 N
−6 2
( 3Q ) ( 2 Q )
9 9 6 ( 2 x 10 )
F 2=9 x 10 =9 x 10
d2 ( 0.02 )2
F 2=540 ∠120 o N
F=F 1+ F 2=270+540 ∠120o
F=467.65 ∠ 90 o N

Example 3. A 50 µf capacitor (1 µf= 10−6 farad) is connected to a 240-volt source. (a) what
charge will ultimately appear on the plates? (b) If the current is maintained at a constant value
of 30 ma during the charging period, how long will it take to charge the capacitor?
 (a) Q=( 50 x 10−6 ) 240=0.012 coulomb
(b) Since Q=It
0.012
t= =0.4 sec
0.03

Example 4. The breakdown potential of a certain grade of insulation paper is 750 volts per mil.
Assuming a factor of safety of2.5, what is the maximum permissible voltage across a capacitor
whose paper thickness is 3 mils?
750
E= ( 3 )=900 volts
2.5

Example 5. A 40 µf capacitor is connected to a 600 volt source and is completely charged in 1.5
sec. If, during the charging period, the current diminishes linearly with time from its initial
maximum value to zero, what is the instantaneous maximum value of the current?
Q=( 40 x 10−6 ) 600=0.024 coulombs
1
Since Q= I max t
2
2 ( 0.024 )
I max= =0.032 A
1.5

Example 6. A parallel-plate capacitor is constructed by cementing using shellac, sheets of 6 by 8

in. aluminum to 8 by 10 in. glass plates that are 0.05 in. thick. One set of alternate metal sheets
is then connected to form one electrode, and another set of joined alternate plates forms the
other electrodes. If 150 metal and 149 glass plates are used, calculate the capacitance of the
capacitor, assuming a dielectric constant of 6.2 for glass.
( 2.25 )( 6.2 ) ( 149 ) ( 6 ) ( 8 )
C= =0.2 μf
0.05 x 107

Example 7. A rolled type of capacitor is to be constructed using strips of aluminum foil 3 in.
wide and waxed paper 4 mils thick that is slightly wider. If it is desired to have a capacitance of
1.5 µf, what should be the length of each of the two strips of aluminum foil and the two strips
of paper? Assume a dielectric constant of 2.5 for paraffined paper.
( 2.25 ) ( 2.5 ) ( 2 L ) ( 3 )
11.5=
0.004 x 107
60000
L= =1777.77∈.
33.75

Capacitor in Series
The same current I exist in each of the capacitors.
I T =I 1=I 2=… I n
The charge on each capacitor is the same.
QT =Q1=Q2=Q n
The source voltage V T is the summation of the voltages across each capacitor.
V T =V 1 +V 2+ … V n
For a number in capacitor in series.
1 1 1 1
= + +…
CT C 1 C2 Cn
For two capacitors in series:
C C
C T= 1 2
C 1+C 2

Capacitors in Parallel

The total current I T is the sum of all currents in each capacitor.

I T =I 1 + I 2 +… I n
The total charge Q T is the sum of all charges in each capacitor
QT =Q1+ Q2+ … Qn
The same voltages V exists across each capacitors.
V T =V 1=V 2=V n
For the number of capacitors in parallel,
C T =C 1 +C2 +… C n

Example 8. A 150 µF capacitor is charged to 300 µC. An uncharged 300 µF capacitor is

connected in parallel with the first capacitor. What is the charge on the second capacitor?
Q=CV
Q
Q 1=C 1 V -------- V = 1 --------(1)
C1
Q
Q2=C 2 V -------- V = 2 --------(2)
C2
Equate the two equation;
Q1 Q2
=
C1 C 2
Q1 C 1
=
Q2 C 2
Q1 150
=
Q2 300
Q1 1
=
Q2 2
1
Q 1= Q2 --------- (3)
2
QT =Q1+ Q2
1
300= Q2 +Q2
2
3
300= Q 2
2
Q 2=200 μC

Example 9. Three capacitors are connected in series; C 1=10 μF ; C 2=15 μF ; C 3=20 μF .

Calculate the total capacitance.
1
C T= =4.615 μF
1 1 1
+ +
10 15 20

Series-Parallel Circuit and Parallel-Series Circuit

C 1 ( C2 +C 3 )
C T= for series-parallel
C 1+C 2 +C3
C2C3
C T =C 1 + foe parallel-series
C 2 +C3
Energy stored in capacitor:
1 2 1 Q2 1
W= CV = = VQ
2 2 C 2
Where: W – energy stored in (Joules)
C – capacitance in (Farad)
V – voltage across a capacitor in (Volts)
 Q – charge in (Coulomb)

Example 10. Two capacitors are connected in series and the series combination is connected in
parallel with the third capacitor. If the three capacitors are of the same value, i.e. 150 µF, what
is the total capacitance?
( 150 )( 150 )
F=150+
150+150
F=225 μF

Example 11. A 50 volts source charges a capacitor fully so that 40 mC of charge is added.
Calculate the energy stored.
Q 40 x 10−3
C= = =800 μF
V 50
1 1
W = C V 2= ( 800 x 10−6 ) (50 )2
2 2
W =1 J