Capacitance

A capacitor is a system that stores energy in the form of electric field. In its simplest form, a capacitor
consist of a pair of parallel metal plates separated by air or other insulating material.
The potential difference 𝑉 between the plates of a capacitor is directly proportional to the charge 𝑄 on
either of them, so the ratio 𝑄 ⁄𝑉 is always the same for a particular capacitor. This ratio is called the
capacitance 𝐶 of the capacitor:

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒

𝑄
𝐶=𝑉

Conversion: 1 Farad = 1 coulomb/volt

Parallel-Plate Capacitor
A capacitor that consists of parallel plates each of area 𝐴 separated by the distance 𝑑 has a capacitance
of

𝐴
𝐶 = 𝐾𝜀𝑜
𝑑

The constant 𝜀𝑜 is the permittivity of free space, its value is

𝜀𝑜 = 8.85𝑥10−12 𝐶 2 /(𝑁 ∙ 𝑚2 )

The quantity 𝐾 is the dielectric constant of the material between the capacitor plates; the greater the 𝐾
is, the more effective the material is in diminishing an electric field. For free space, 𝐾 = 1, for air 𝐾 =
1.0006 or 1.0, a typical value of glass is 𝐾 = 6 and for water 𝐾 = 80.

1
Sample problem 1
A 200-pF capacitor is connected to a 100-V battery. Find the charge on the capacitor’s plate.
Ans. 20 nC

Sample problem 2
A capacitor has a charge of 5𝑥10−4 𝐶 when the potential difference across its plates is 300 V. Find its
capacitance.
Ans. 1.67 𝜇𝐹

Sample problem 3
A parallel-plate capacitor has plates 5 cm square and 0.1 mm apart. Find its capacitance (a) in air
and (b) with mica of 𝐾 = 6 between the plates.
Solution:

𝐴
a) 𝐶 = 𝐾𝜀𝑜
𝑑
(5 × 10−2 𝑚)2
𝐶 = (1)(8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 ⁄𝑁 ∙ 𝑚2 )
0.1 × 10−3 𝑚

𝐶 = 221.25 𝑝𝐹

b) Ans. 1.33 𝑛𝐹

Sample problem 4
A parallel-plate capacitor has a capacitance of 2 𝜇𝐹 in air and 4.6 𝜇𝐹 when it is immersed in
benzene. What is the dielectric constant of benzene?
Solution.
Let 𝐶1 = 2 𝜇𝐹, 𝐶2 = 4.6 𝜇𝐹, 𝐾1 = 1, and 𝐾2 =?

𝐴
𝐶1 𝐾1 𝜀0 𝑑
=
𝐶2 𝐾 𝜀 𝐴
2 0𝑑

𝐶1 𝐾1
=
𝐶2 𝐾2

𝐶2 4.6 𝜇𝐹
𝐾2 = 𝐾1 = (1) = 2.3
𝐶2 2 𝜇𝐹

2
Sample problem 5
A 10−𝜇𝐹 capacitor with air between its plates is connected to a 50-V source and then disconnected.
(a) What is the charge on the capacitor and the potential difference across it? (b) The space between
the plates of the charge capacitor is filled with Teflon (𝐾 = 2.1). What is the charge on the capacitor
and the potential difference across it now?
Solution.
a) The capacitor’s charge is

𝑄 = 𝐶𝑉 = (10 × 10−6 𝐹)(50 𝑉) = 500 𝜇𝐶

b) The presence of another dielectric does not change the charge on the capacitor. Since its capacitance
is now
𝐾2
𝐶2 = 𝐶
𝐾1 1

and 𝑉 = 𝑄 ⁄𝐶, the new potential difference is

𝑄 𝐾1 𝑄 𝐾1 1
𝑉2 = = = 𝑉1 = ( ) (50 𝑉) = 23.8 𝑉
𝐶2 𝐾2 𝐶1 𝐾2 2.1

Capacitors in Combination
The equivalent capacitance of a set of connected capacitors is the capacitance of the single capacitor
that can replace the set without changing the properties of any circuit it is part of. The equivalent
capacitance of set of capacitors joined in series is

𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3 𝐶𝑇

1 1 1 1
= + +
𝐶𝑇 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3

In a parallel set of capacitors, the equivalent capacitance is the sum of the individual capacitances:

𝐶1

𝐶2

𝐶3

𝐶𝑇 = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 + 𝐶3
3
Sample problem 6
Three capacitors whose capacitance are 1, 2, and 3 𝜇𝐹 are connected in series. Find the equivalent
capacitance of the combination.
1 1 1 1
= + +
𝐶𝑇 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3

1 1 1 1
= + +
𝐶𝑇 1 𝜇𝐹 2 𝜇𝐹 3 𝜇𝐹

𝐶𝑇 = 545.45 𝑛𝐹

Sample problem 7
The three capacitors of Sample problem 6 are connected in parallel. Find the equivalent
capacitance of the combination.
Ans. 6 𝜇𝐹

Sample problem 8
A 2- and 3- 𝜇𝐹 capacitor are connected in series. (a) What is their equivalent capacitance? (b) A
potential difference of 500 V is applied to the combination, find the charge on each capacitor and the
potential difference across it.
Answer
a) 1.2 𝜇𝐹 b) 600 𝜇𝐶

Energy of a Charged Capacitor

1 1 2 1 𝑄2
𝑊 = 𝑄𝑉 = 𝐶𝑉 =
2 2 2 𝐶

4
Sample problem 9
A 1.2- 𝜇𝐹 capacitor is charge to 3.0 kV. Compute the energy stored in the capacitor.
Ans. 5.4 J

Sample problem 10
The series combination of two capacitors shown in the figure below is connected across 1000 V.
Compute (a) the equivalent capacitance of the combination, (b) the magnitude of the charges on the
capacitors, (c) the potential differences across the capacitors, and (d) the energy stored in the
capacitors.
𝑉1 𝑉2

𝐶1 = 3.0 𝑝𝐹 𝐶2 = 6.0 𝑝𝐹

V= 1000 V

Ans
a) 2 𝑝𝐹
b) 2 𝑛𝐶
c) 666.67 𝑉, 333.33 𝑉
d) 𝐸𝐶1 = 0.67 μJ, 𝐸𝐶2 = 0.33 μJ

5
Sample problem 11
The parallel capacitor combination shown in the figure below is connected across a 120-V source.
Determine the equivalent capacitance, the charge on the capacitors, and the total charge of the
combination.

𝐶1 = 2.0 𝑝𝐹

𝐶2 = 6.0 𝑝𝐹

𝑉𝑇 = 120 𝑉

Solution.
𝐶𝑇 = 8 𝑝𝐹

𝑞1 = 0.24 𝑛𝐶
𝑞2 = 0.72 𝑛𝐶

𝑞 = 0.96 𝑛𝐶

Sample problem 12
A laboratory capacitor consists of two parallel conducting plates, each with area 200 cm2,
separated by a 0.40-cm air gap. (a) Compute each capacitance, If the capacitor is connected across 500-
V source, (b)find the charge on it, (c) the energy stored in it, (d) the electric field across the plates. (e)
If a liquid with 𝐾 = 2.60 is poured between the plates so as to fill the air gap, how much additional
charge will flow into the capacitor from the 500-V source?

Answer.
a) 44.25 pF
b) 22.13 𝑛𝐶
c) 5.53 𝜇J
d) 125,000 𝑉/𝑚
e) 𝑞 = CV = (2.6 × 44.25 × 10−12 F)(500 V) = 57.53 nC
The capacitor already had a charge of 22.13 𝑛𝐶, and so 57.53 nC − 22.13 nC or 35.4 𝑛𝐶 must have
been added to it.