1.

A 10 F capacitor is connected across the terminals of a 100 V d.c. power supply and allowed to
charge fully.
(a)

Calculate
(i)

the charge on the capacitor,

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(ii)

the energy stored by the capacitor.

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(2)

(b)

The fully-charged capacitor is disconnected from the power supply and connected via two
wires across the terminals of an uncharged 10 F capacitor as shown.

10f

1 0 f

The charge on the original 10 F capacitor is shared equally between the capacitors in the
parallel combination.
(i)

Calculate the potential difference across the terminals of each capacitor.

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(ii)

Calculate the total energy stored by the two capacitors.

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(iii)

Account for the difference between the energy stored by the two capacitors in
parallel and that stored by the original single 10 F capacitor.
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(4)
(Total 6 marks)

2.

A parallel plate capacitor consists of two smooth square metal plates with sides of length
0.35 m. The gap between the plates is filled completely with a sheet of mica of thickness
0.15mm. The plates of the capacitor are connected across the terminals of a 1.2 kV supply.
Refer to the Data Sheet for any additional information.
(a)

Calculate
(i)

the magnitude of the charge on the capacitor,

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(ii)

the resistance of the mica sheet, i.e. the resistance between the plates.
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(6)

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(b)

When the capacitor is disconnected from the supply there is a leakage current through the
mica sheet and the charge reduces to zero in about 3 hours. Calculate the mean current
flowing during the loss of charge from the capacitor.
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(2)

(c)

Explain why there is a limit to the magnitude of the potential difference that may be
applied between the plates of the capacitor.
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(3)
(Total 11 marks)

3.

A camera flashgun uses the discharge of a capacitor to provide the energy to produce a single
flash. In a particular flashgun a 4700 F capacitor is initially charged from a 90 V supply.
(a)

Calculate
(i)

the charge stored by the capacitor when it is fully charged,

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(ii)

the energy stored by the fully-charged capacitor,

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(iii)

the average current which flows if total discharge of the capacitor takes place
effectively in 30 ms.
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(3)

(b)

During a partial discharge of the capacitor the potential difference between its terminals
falls from 90 V to 80 V. Calculate the energy discharged to the flashgun.
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(2)
(Total 5 marks)

4.

(a)

A capacitor is made from two parallel metal plates of the same area, separated by an air
gap. It is connected across a battery of constant e.m.f.
The plates are moved further apart, maintaining the same area of overlap, whilst the
battery remains connected. State and explain what change, if any, occurs to
(i)

the potential difference across the plates,

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(ii)

the capacitance of the capacitor,

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(iii)

the charge on each plate of the capacitor,

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(iv)

the energy stored by the capacitor.

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(4)

(b)

A thunder cloud and the earth beneath it can be considered to form a parallel plate
capacitor. The area of the cloud is 8.0 km2 and it is 0.75 km above the earth.

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(i)

Calculate the energy stored if the potential difference between the cloud and the
earth is 200 kV.
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(ii)

The air suddenly conducts, allowing all the charge to flow to earth in 120 s.
Calculate the mean current flowing between the cloud and the earth when this
happens.
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(6)
(Total 10 marks)

5.

Both gravitational and electric field strengths can be described by similar equations written in
the form

bc
2
a=d .

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(a)

Complete the following table by writing down the names of the corresponding quantities,
together with their SI units, for the two types of field.

symbol

gravitational
field
quantit
y
SI unit

electrical field
quantity
SI unit

gravit
a
t
i
o
n
a
l
f
i
e
l
d
s
t
r
e
n
g
t
h

1
4 0

m F1

c
d
(4)

(b)

Two isolated charged objects, A and B, are arranged so that the gravitational force
between them is equal and opposite to the electric force between them.
(i)

The separation of A and B is doubled without changing their charges or masses.

State and explain the effect, if any, that this will have on the resultant force
between them.
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(ii)

At the original separation, the mass of A is doubled, whilst the charge on A and the
mass of B remain as they were initially. What would have to happen to the charge
on B to keep the resultant force zero?
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(3)
(Total 7 marks)

Sutton Grammar School For Boys

6.

A student used a voltage sensor connected to a datalogger to plot the discharge curve for a
4.7 F capacitor. She obtained the following graph.

p o te n tia l d iffe re n c e /V 6

0
0

10

20

30

40

50
tim e /m s

60

Use data from the graph to calculate

(a)

the initial charge stored,

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(2)

(b)

the energy stored when the capacitor had been discharging for 35 ms,
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(3)

(c)

the time constant for the circuit,

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(3)

(d)

the resistance of the circuit through which the capacitor was discharging.

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(2)
(Total 10 marks)

7.

A capacitor of capacitance 15 F is fully charged and the potential difference across its plates is
8.0V. It is then connected into the circuit as shown.
S
1 5 F

400 k
The switch S is closed at time t = 0. Which one of the following statements is correct?
A

The time constant of the circuit is 6.0 ms.

The initial charge on the capacitor is 12 C.

After a time equal to twice the time constant, the charge remaining on the capacitor is
Q0e2, where Q0 is the charge at time t = 0.

After a time equal to the time constant, the potential difference across the capacitor is
2.9 V.
(Total 2 marks)

Sutton Grammar School For Boys

8.

A capacitor of capacitance 330 F is charged to a potential difference of 9.0 V. It is then

discharged through a resistor of resistance 470 k.
Calculate
(a)

the energy stored by the capacitor when it is fully charged,

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(2)

(b)

the time constant of the discharging circuit,

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(1)

(c)

the p.d. across the capacitor 60 s after the discharge has begun.
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(3)
(Total 6 marks)

Sutton Grammar School For Boys

10