GenPhys 2

GENERAL PHYSICS 2

UNIT 3: Capacitance and Dielectrics

1. Capacitance and Capacitors
a. Capacitors in Series and Parallel
b. Energy stored and Electric-field Energy in Capacitors
2. Dielectrics

Learning Competencies:
1. Deduce the effects of simple capacitors (e.g., parallel-plate, spherical, cylindrical) on the capacitance,
charge, and potential difference when the size, potential difference, or charge is changed;
2. Calculate the equivalent capacitance of a network of capacitors connected in series/ parallel;
3. Determine the total charge, the charge on, and the potential difference across each capacitor in the
network given the capacitors connected in series/ parallel;
4. Determine the potential energy stored inside the capacitor given the geometry and the potential
difference across the capacitor;
5. Predict the effects on the final potential difference and change in potential energy of a capacitor when
either the geometry or charge is changed;
6. Determine the energy density and the electric field inside a capacitor with a given configuration;
7. Describe the effects of inserting dielectric materials on the capacitance, charge, and electric field of a
capacitor; and
8. Solve problems involving capacitors and dielectrics in contexts such as, but not limited to, charged
plates, electroscopes, batteries, camera, flashlamps, Geiger counters, and coaxial cables.

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 GenPhys 2
Capacitors
Capacitor – device for storing charges.
One of the simplest types of capacitors consists of two equally but
oppositely charged parallel conducting plates separated from each
other by a thin sheet of insulating material or dielectric.
Ex: mica, glass, air, ceramic, and paper

Capacitance – ability of the capacitor to store charges; ratio of the amount of charge in one plate to the
potential difference between the plates.

where: C is the capacitance of a capacitor, q is the amount of charge in one plate, and V is the potential
difference between the plates
note: SI Unit: farad (F); 1 F = 1C/V

Factors affecting Capacitance of a Parallel Plate Capacitor

1. Area of plates. The bigger the area of the plates, the greater the
capacitance.
2. Distance between plates. The closer the plates to one another,
the greater the capacitance.
3. Insulating material or dielectric between them. The
capacitance is determined in terms of the material’s permittivity
constant ϵ - the higher the ϵ, the greater the capacitance.

where: A is the area of one plate, d is the difference between the plates, and ϵ is the permittivity of the
insulating material or dielectric.

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 GenPhys 2
Relative Permittivity or Dielectric Constant – ratio of the permittivity ϵ of the dielectric to the permittivity ϵ0 of
the vacuum of air.

where: ϵR is the relative permittivity, C0 is the capacitance with air or

vacuum as the dielectric [C0 = (ϵ0A)/d ]

Dielectric breakdown – when the maximum potential is exceeded, the dielectric becomes a conductor,
allowing the flow of charges; these charges forms sparks or discharge.
Ex: lightning

Ex 1: A capacitor consists of two square metal plates, each measuring 5.00 x 10 -2 m on a side. In between the
plates is a sheet of mica measuring 1.00 x 10 -4 m thick. (a) What is the capacitance of this capacitor? If
the charge in one plate is 2.00 x 10-8 C, what is the (b) potential difference and (c) electric field between
the plates?
Ex 2: The capacitance of a parallel plate air capacitor is 350 µF. When a sheet of a dielectric is inserted
between the plates, the capacitance increases to 2100 µF. What is the permittivity of the dielectric?
Ex 3: The parallel plates of an air capacitor are separated by 2.24 mm. Each plate carries a charge of 6.50 nC.
The magnitude of the electric field of the plates is 4.75 x 10 5 V/m. Find the (a) potential difference
between the plates, (b) capacitance, and (c) area of the plate.
Ex 4: The relative permittivity of a dielectric is 2.25. (a) What is its permittivity? (b) What will be the capacitance
if this dielectric is inserted into a 7.8 µF air capacitor?

Combination of Capacitors

Capacitors in Series
a. Charge:

b. Potential Difference:

c. Capacitance:

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 GenPhys 2
Capacitors in Parallel
a. Charge:

b. Potential Difference:

c. Capacitance:

Ex 1: Given that C1 = 10.0 F, C2 = 5.0 F, and C3 = 4.0 F, find the total capacitance for each connection shown.

Ex 2: A parallel plate capacitor is made up of two plates, each having an area of 8.0 x 10-4 m2 and separated
from each other by 5.0 mm. Half of the space between the plates is filled with glass and the other with
mica. Find the capacitance of this capacitor.

Ex 3: Two capacitors with 2.0 F and 3.0 F capacitance, respectively, are connected in series and subjected to
a total potential difference of 100 V. Find the (a) total capacitance, (b) charge stored in each capacitor,
and (c) potential difference across each capacitor.
Ex 4: You have five 10.0 F capacitors. Show all the possible connections for the five capacitors to produce a
total capacitance of 50.0 F.
Ex 5: Suppose the space between the plates of the capacitors in Ex 2 is filled with equal thickness of the same
dielectrics but arranged as shown. What is its capacitance?

Ex 6: The capacitors in Ex 3 are connected in parallel instead of in series. The combination is connected to a
100 V line. Find the (a) total capacitance, (b) charge stored in each capacitor, and (c) potential
difference across each capacitor.

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 GenPhys 2
Energy Stored in a Capacitor
Potential Difference is work done to move a charge from point A to point B. Thus, the work done to move a
total charge q against the average potential difference V/2 is the product of q and V/2. The energy U in a
capacitor is equal to this work.

Based on the definition of capacitance, the above equation may be written in the following alternative forms:

Ex 1: (a) How much energy is stored by 35 µF capacitor when the charge on each plate is 2500 µC? (b) What
is the potential difference between the plates of the capacitor?
Ex 2: A parallel plate capacitor consists of two rectangular plates, each with an area of 4.5 cm 2 and are
separated from each other by a 2.00 mm thick dielectric with a dielectric constant of 5.26. The capacitor
is connected to a 12.0 V battery. How much energy is stored in the capacitor?

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