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Chapter 25
Capacitors and Capacitance
In this chapter we will cover the following topics:
-Capacitance C of a system of two isolated conductors.
-Calculation of the capacitance for some simple geometries.
-Methods of connecting capacitors (in series , in parallel).
-Equivalent capacitance.
-Energy stored in a capacitor.
-Behavior of an insulator (a.k.a. dielectric) when placed in the
electric
l t i field
fi ld created
t d in
i the
th space between
b t
the
th plates
l t off a capacitor.
it
-Gauss law in the presence of dielectrics.
(25 - 1)
Capacitance
(25 - 2)
V-
V+
q
C
V
q
q = CV
If we plot the charge q as function of V we get the straight line shown in the figure.
The capacitance C is defined as the ratio q / V .
SI Unit : Farad (symbol F) We define a capacitor of C 1 F as one which
acquires a charge q = 1 C if we apply a voltage difference V 1 V between its plates
17/02/2012
A parallel plate capacitor is defined as made up from two parallel plane plates
of area A separated by a distance d . The electric field between the plates
and away from the plate edges is uniform. Close to the plates edges the electric
field (known as "fringing field") becomes non-uniform.
Batteries
V
+
between its two terminals. These are indicated in the battery symbol
using two parallel lines unequal in length. The longer line indicates
the terminal at higher potential while the shorter line denotes
the lower potential terminal.
(25 - 3)
Charging a Capacitor
-q
+q
+q
-q
(25 - 4)
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V+
E between the plates o E dA q enc
V E ds Along any path that connects the
(25 - 5)
q
V
P
S
We apply Gauss' law using the Gaussian surface S shown in the figure.
The electric flux EA cos 0 EA.
q
q
q
From Gauss' law we have: EA E
o
o
A o
The potential difference V between the positive and the negative plate is
qd
A o
A
q
q
The capacitance C
o
V qd / A o
d
A o
d
(25 - 6)
17/02/2012
Cylindrical Capacitor
It consists of two cylinders of radii a and b
with a common axis. The two cylinders have
a height L. We choose a Gaussian surface S
that is also a cylinder with radius r and height L
The flux of the electric field through S is:
2 rLE cos 0 2 rLE
q
Using Gauss' law we have:
The potential difference V between the positive and the negative plate is
The capacitance C
2 L o
q
q
V q / 2 L o ln b / a ln b / a
(25 - 7)
Spherical Capacitor
It consists of two cocentric spheres of radii a and b
We choose a Gaussian surface S that is also a
sphere with radius r
The flux of the electric field through S is:
q
dr
q
q
a
b
ln
ln r b
o 2 L b r
o 2 L
o 2 L a
4 r 2 E cos 0 4 r 2 E
Using Gauss' law we have:
q
4 o r
The potential difference V between the positive and the negative plate is
dr
q 1
q 1 1
r 4 a b
4
r
4
b
o b
o
o
The capacitance C
q
4 o
ab
4 o
q 1 1 1 1
ba
4 o a b a b
(25 - 8)
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Equivalent Capacitor
Consider the combination of capacitors
shown in the figure to the left and to the
right (upper part). We will substitute
these combinations of capacitor with a
single capacitor Ceqq that is
"electrically equivalent"
to the capacitor group it substitutes.
(25 - 9)
Capacitors in parallel
The fig.a we show three capacitors
connected in parallel. This means that
the plate of each capacitor is connected
Ceq C1 C2 C3
The three capacitors have the same potential difference V across their plates.
The charge on C1 is: q1 C1V . The charge on C2 is: q2 C2V .
C1 C2 C3
V
V
For a parallel combination of n capacitors is given by the expression:
Ceq C1 C2 ... Cn C j
(25 - 10)
j 1
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Capacitors in series
The fig.a we show three capacitors connected in series.
This means that one capacitor is connected after the other.
The combination is connected to the terminals of a battery
of voltage V . We will substitute the series combination
of fig.a with a single equivalent capacitor shown in fig.b
which is also connected to an identical battery.
The three capacitors have the same charge q on their plates.
The voltage across C1 is: V1 q / C1.
The voltage across C2 is: V2 q / C2 .
The voltage across C3 is: V3 q / C3 .
The net voltage across the combination V V1 V2 V3
(25 - 11)
1
1
1
Thus we have: V q
C1 C2 C3
q
q
C1 C2 C3
Ceq C1 C2 C3
1
1
1
C123
C12 C3
(25 - 12)
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-q'
q'
+
+
+
+
+
dq'
V'
V
Charge
A
q
q'
B Voltage
O
V' V
q
1 q 2
q2
C 2 0 2C
If we substitute q CV we get: W
CV 2
2
1
qdq
C 0
or W
qV
2
Work W can also be calculated by determining the area A of triangle OAB which is
equal to V dq. Area W
-q
-A
-
+
+
A +
+
+
d
q 2 CV 2
2C
2
oE2
2
Vq
2
(25 - 13)
q 2 CV 2 qV
2
2C
2
Energy density
We can ask the question: where is the potential energy of a charged
capacitor stored? The answer is counter intuitive. The energy is
stored in the space between the capacitor plates where a uniform
electric field E V / d is generated by the capacitor charges.
In other words the electric field can store energy in empty space!
We define as energy densiry (symbol u ) the potential energy per unit volume. u
U
V
The volume V between the plates is: V Ad where A is the plate area
V E2
U
CV 2
V2
o o
2
Ad 2 Ad 2 Ad 2 d
This result, derived for the parallel plate capacitor holds in general
2
(25 - 14)
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C Cair
Capacitor with a dielectric
q
-q
q'
-q'
q
-q
V'
-q
(25 - 15)
C Cair
q
V
-q
q'
V
-q'
-q
-q
V'
Aft the
After
th dielectric
di l t i is
i inserted
i
t d between
b t
th capacitor
the
it plates
l t
V
the plate voltage changes from V to V
q
q
q
Cair
The new capacitance C
V V /
V
(25 - 16)
17/02/2012
conductor
dielectric
q
4 o r 2
1
Example 2 :
Th electric
The
l t i field
fi ld outside
t id an isolated
i l t d conductor
d t
immersed in a dielectric becomes:
E
o
(25 - 17)
U pE cos
(25 - 18)
17/02/2012
A nonpolal dielectric on the other hand consists of molecules that in the absence of
an electric field have zero electric dipole moment (see fig.a) . If we place the dielectric
between the plates of a capacitor the external electric field Eo induces an electric dipole
moment p that becomes aligned with Eo (see fig.b). The aligned molecules do not create
any net charge inside the dielectric. A net charge appears at the left and right surfaces
of the dielectric opposite to the capacitor plates
plates. These charges come from negative and
positive ends of the electric dipoles. These induced surface charges have sign opposite
to that of of the opposing plate charges. Thus the induced charges create an electric field
E which opposes the applied field Eo (see fig.c). As a result is that the
Eo
o A
We will apply Gauss' law for the same surface S. Inside S in addition to the plate charge q
q q
we also have the induced charge q on the surface of the dielectric. EA
q q
(eqs.1)
A o
Eo
A o
o E dA q
(eqs.2)
(25 - 20)
10
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o E dA q
Even though the equation above was derived for the parallel plate capacitor
is true in general.
(25 - 21)
11