Electricity

Principles & Applications

Seventh Edition

Richard J. Fowler

Chapter 10
Capacitance
(student version)

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 INTRODUCTION
• Capacitor Terminology
• Use of Capacitors
• Capacitors in Ac and Dc Circuits
• Series and Parallel Capacitors
• Time Constants
• Capacitive Reactance

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 Concept Preview
• A capacitor has two plates and a dielectric.
• Dielectric materials are insulators.
• A capacitor charges until its voltage
equals the source voltage.
• Battery current decays to zero as the
the capacitor charges.
• Capacitors can cause a large surge current.

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 Facts About Capacitance
• Capacitance stores electric energy.
• W = 0.5CV2
• The dielectric material blocks current flow between
the plates of a capacitor.
• The base unit of capacitance is the farad.

• Most electrolytic capacitors are polarized.

• A capacitor’s opposition to current is called reactance.

• XC = 1/(6.28fC)

• The ohm is the base unit of reactance.

• Capacitance causes current to lead voltage by 90.

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 Construction of a Capacitor
Lead
Plate

Dielectric

Plate

Lead

The plates and leads are conductors.

The dielectric is an insulator.
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 Charging A Capacitor
Current flows and the capacitor charges

15 V 15 V
- until its voltage equals the source voltage.
+ At this time the current stops.

15 V
VC

IC
0 Time
Notice that I is maximum when V is minimum and visa versa.
Imax is very large when C is large and a high-current source is used.
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 Capacitor-Current Quiz
The ____ of a capacitor is an insulator. dielectric

The base unit of capacitance is the ____. farad

The capacitor current ____ as the capacitor decreases

voltage increases.

When charged, the capacitor voltage equals

the ____ voltage. source

Charging current is controlled by the value

of ____ and the current capacity of the source. capacitance

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 Concept Preview
• An electric field between the plates of a
capacitor stresses the dielectric material.
• A charged capacitor stores energy in
its distorted dielectric material.
• Increasing the plate area of a capacitor
will increase its capacitance.
• Increasing the plate spacing of a capacitor
will decrease its capacitance.

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 Electric Field Of A Charged Capacitor
First, construct
Lead a capacitor and
note its parts.
Next, charge the
Plate +++++++++++
Dielectric capacitor and
material
observe the
Plate ----------- electric
field.
Lead The electric field ( )
stresses the
dielectric
material.
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 Stressed Dielectric Material
Lead
Plate + + + + + + + + + + + + +
- -
- -

+ +
+ +

Plate - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lead
The distorted orbital paths increase the energy level of the electrons.
The capacitor stores energy in its distorted dielectric material.
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 Physical Factors Affecting Capacitance
Plate area
More capacitance

Spacing of plates
Less capacitance

Mica
Air
Dielectric material
More capacitance

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 Capacitor-Value Quiz
A charged capacitor produces
a(n) ____ ____ between its plates. electric field

A charged capacitor stores energy in its ____. dielectric

Charging a capacitor increases the energy

level of the ____ in the dielectric. electrons

Increasing the plate area ____ the capacitance. increases

Increasing the distance between the

plates _____ the capacitance. decreases

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 Concept Preview
• A filter capacitor can smooth out
pulsating direct current.
• After five time constants, a capacitor
is essentially charged or discharged.
• As a capacitor charges, it takes energy
from the source.
• As a capacitor discharges, it returns
its stored energy to the source.

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 Action Of A Filter Capacitor

t
Pulsating dc before filtering

t After filtering

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 RC Time Constant -- Charge
100
% of source voltage

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time constants
After 1 T, the capacitor is 63.2 % charged.
After 2 T, the capacitor is 86.5 % charged.
After 3 T, the capacitor is 95.0 % charged.
After 4 T, the capacitor is 98.2 % charged.
After 5 T, the capacitor is 99.3 % charged.
The capacitor is essentially charged after 5 T.
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 RC Time Constant -- Discharge
100
% of capacitor voltage

36.8%

13.5%
5.0% 1.8% 0.7%
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time constants
After 1 T, the capacitor is 63.2 % discharged.
After 2 T, the capacitor is 86.5 % discharged.
After 3 T, the capacitor is 95.0 % discharged.
After 4 T, the capacitor is 98.2 % discharged.
After 5 T, the capacitor is 99.3 % discharged.
The capacitor is essentially discharged after 5 T.
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 Energy Transfer In A Capacitor Circuit

I V
+
+
-
-

During the first quarter of the cycle, the current decreases

as the voltage increases. The source is providing the energy
needed to charge the capacitor. When the voltage reaches its

peak value, there is no current.

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 Energy Transfer In A Capacitor Circuit
Second quarter-cycle
I V
+
+
-
-

During the second quarter-cycle, the capacitor returns its energy

to the source. Notice that the current has changed direction.

Also notice that the current is now increasing while the

voltage is decreasing.
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 Energy Transfer In A Capacitor Circuit
Third quarter-cycle

- I V

-
+
+

During the third quarter-cycle, the source provides the energy

to charge the capacitor. Notice that the current has not changed
direction. It is now decreasing while the voltage is increasing.

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 Energy Transfer In A Capacitor Circuit
Fourth quarter-cycle
- I V

-
+
+

During the fourth quarter-cycle, the capacitor returns its energy

to the source. Notice that the current has changed direction.
Also notice that the current is now increasing while the
voltage is decreasing.
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 Capacitor-Action Quiz
A filter capacitor changes pulsating dc
into ____ dc. fluctuating

After one time constant a capacitor

is ____ % charged. 63.2

A capacitor is essentially charged

after ____ time constants. five

In an ac circuit, a capacitor returns energy

to the source ____ each cycle. twice

With an ac source, the capacitor voltage ____ decreases

while the capacitor current increases.

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 Concept Preview
• The smallest series C drops the most V.

• The largest parallel C draws the most I.

• XC is inversely proportional to C and f.

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 Voltage Distribution In Series Capacitors

60 V
2 F 2 F
40 V 60 V 40 V

4 F 4 F
20 V 20 V

In either a dc or an ac series circuit, the smallest capacitor

develops the most voltage. The voltage distributes in inverse

proportion to the capacitance.
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 Current Distribution In Parallel Capacitors
60 V 2 F 4 F
2A 4A
Peak charging I

60 V

2 F 4 F
0.2 A 0.4 A

In either a dc or an ac parallel circuit, the largest capacitor

draws the most current. The current distributes in direct

proportion to the capacitance.
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 Capacitive Reactance And Capacitance
40 V mV V mA A  k
2 F

100 Hz
dc COM - +VA ac

40 V
F

100 Hz

Measure the current when C is 2F. Next, calculate XC.

XC = VC / IC = 40 V / 50.24 mA = 796 
Measure the current when C is 1F. Then, calculate XC.
XC = 40 V / 25.12 mA = 1592 
Notice that XC is inversely proportional to C.
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 Capacitive Reactance And Frequency
40 V mV V mA A  k
2 F

100 Hz
dc COM - +VA ac

40 V
F

50 Hz

Measure the current when f is 100 Hz. Next, calculate XC.

XC = VC / IC = 40 V / 50.24 mA = 796 
Measure the current when f is 50 Hz. Then, calculate XC.
XC = 40 V / 25.12 mA = 1592 
Notice that XC is inversely proportional to f.
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 Relaxation Oscillator Circuit

NE-2

When power is applied, the capacitor charges to the firing voltage

of the NE-2 and produces part of the sawtooth waveform.
When the NE-2 fires, the capacitor discharges through the NE-2,
the source sends current through the the NE-2 and the resistor,
and the rest of the sawtooth waveform is produced.
Then the cycle starts over.
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 Capacitor-Circuit Quiz
In a series capacitor circuit, the smallest
capacitor develops the ____ voltage. most

In a parallel capacitor circuit, the smallest

capacitor draws the ____ current. least

Increasing capacitance ____ reactance. decreases

Increasing frequency ____ reactance. decreases

Circuit current in a capacitor circuit will ____ decrease

when the frequency is decreased.

The reactance of a 2 F capacitor at 200 Hz

is ____ ohms. 398
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