Capacitance & Capacitors

Course textbook reference:

Electrical & Electronic Technology
by E. Hughes, 9th edition
chapter 5, pages 92 131.

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Capacitors

A device, C, that stores charge, Q, when a

voltage, V, is applied.
Hence it may be shown that

Charge [coulombs] Applied Voltage [volts]

= capacitance [farads]
Q/V=C

units of capacitance are expressed in farads, F,

although practical values are normally in the range
1F = 10-6 F or 1nF = 10-9 F

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Capacitor Types
Decoupling Ceramic Disc

Multilayer Metallised Polyester Film

Miniature Electrolytic

Miniature Variable

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Capacitor Connections

Parallel connection:
+

Q1/Vs + Q2/Vs = QT/Vs

VS1 5
C1 1u

C2 1u

C1 + C2 = CT
(same voltage across each component)

Series connection:
+

Q1 = Q2 = Q

VS1 5
C1 1u

(as same current through both)

C2 1u

Q/C1 + Q/C2 = Q/CT

1/C1 + 1/C2 = 1/CT

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C plate area / distance between plates

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Electric Field & Flux Density

An electric field exists between the

plates of a charged capacitor.
It can be shown that:
Electric flux density Electric field strength =
( Q/A V/d ) = ( Q/ V d/A ) = Cd/A
where
Cd/A = 0 (the permittivity of free space, F/m)
or
C = 0 (A/d) Farads

{Where A = area of plates,

d = distance between plates}

The capacitance of a device can be

increased by inserting a dielectric
Where C = 0 r (A/d) Farads ( r relative permittivity )

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Charge and Discharge Cycle

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Capacitor Charging

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AM1

Capacitor Charging
+

TINA Simulation

999.9uA

R1 10k +

VS1 10

+
C1 10u V

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Vr 10V

Vc 1.03mV

Capacitor Charging
T

TINA Simulation

10.00
T = CR

Vc

Output

7.50

5.00

2.50

Vr

0.00
0.00

100.00m

200.00m

300.00m

400.00m

500.00m

Time (s)

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Capacitor Discharging

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TINA Simulation

AM1

Capacitor Discharging
+

R1 10k +

Vr

+
C1 10u V

Vc

VG1

The switching on-off cycle is

simulated using a voltage
generator to produce a pulse of
the correct duration.

1 0 .0 0

Output

5 .0 0

0 .0 0

-5 .0 0

-1 0 .0 0
0 .0 0

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2 5 0 .0 0 m

5 0 0 .0 0 m
T im e (s )

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7 5 0 .0 0 m

1 .0 0

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Capacitor Discharging
T

TINA Simulation

10.00

Vc

5.00

Voltage (V)

Vr

0.00

-5.00

-10.00
0.00

250.00m

500.00m

750.00m

1.00

Time (s)

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Calculating RC Time Constant

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Transient Formulae

CR

Charging
( t )

vc (t ) = V 1 e

Discharging

vc (t ) = V e

( )

Where the Time

constant is:
T=CR

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Worked Example
SW1

SW2

SW1 is closed for 50ms

then opened
SW2 is open for 50ms
then closed

C1 50n

Vc

20.00

10.00

Output

Calculate time constants.

Determine voltage vc
at t = 30 ms.
Calculate current ic
at t = 50 ms.

R2 100k

VG1

AM1

R1 100k

0.00

-10.00
0.00

25.00m

50.00m

75.00m

100.00m

Time (s)

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Worked Example
T

100.00u

AM1

-50.00u
10.00

Vc

0.00
0.00

25.00m

50.00m

75.00m

100.00m

Time (s)

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Further References:

Some of the slides used in this lecture have

been adapted from;

Electronics and Computing Principles V7

which is available on all the PCs in D411 and
D421.

Version 8.2 can be downloaded from www.eptsoft.com

Electrical & Electronic Technology

by E. Hughes

Edition 8: chapter 5, pages 87 126.

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