TOPIC 2

CAPACITOR & DIELECTRICS

2.1 Capacitance and Capacitors in Series and Parallel

2.2 Charging and Discharging of Capacitors
2.3 Capacitors with dielectrics
 2.1 CAPACITANCE AND CAPACITORS IN
SERIES AND PARALLEL
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to :
Q
a) Define and use Capacitance, C 
V
b) Derive and determine the effective capacitance
of capacitors in series and parallel.

c) Derive and use energy stored in a capacitor,

2
1 1 1 Q
U  CV 2  QV 
2 2 2 C
 Introduction

Capacitor
 A capacitor , sometimes called a condenser, is a device that can
store electric charge.

 It is consists of two conducting plates separated by a small air gap

or a thin insulator (called a dielectric such as mica, ceramics, paper
or even oil).

 The electrical symbol for a capacitor is

or
 Q
a) Define and use Capacitance, C 
V

Capacitance, C
• Definition: the ratio of the charge on either plate to the
potential difference between them.

Q Q : c h a r g e o n o n e o f t h e p la t e s
C V : p o t e n t ia l d if f e r e n c e a c r o s s t h e t w o p la t e s
V
• Meaning: The ability of a capacitor to store charge is
measured by its capacitance.
***Remarks: Capacitance measures the charge on the capacitor for a unit
voltages across it.
• SI unit : Farad (F).

• 1 farad is the capacitance of a capacitor if the charge on

either of the plates is 1C when the potential difference
across the capacitor is 1V.
i.e.
1 Coloumb Q
1 Farad  C
1Volt V
Q  CV

when C is constant then,

Q  V
(The charges stored, Q is directly proportional to the potential
difference, V across the conducting plate.)
 b) Derive and determine the effective capacitance of capacitors in series and parallel.

CAPACITORS CONNECTED IN SERIES

V
+Q -Q

V1 V2 V3
Ceq
Q1 Q2 Q3
equivalent to

• Figure above shows 3 capacitors connected in series to a

battery of voltage, V.

• When the circuit is completed, the electrons move away from

the negative terminal of the battery (-Q) to one plate of C3
and this plate become negatively charge.
 V
+Q -Q

V1 V2 V3
Ceq
Q1 Q2 Q3
equivalent to

• This negative charge induces a charge +Q on the other plate

of C3 because electrons on one plate of C3 are repelled to
the plate of C2. Hence this plate is charged –Q, which
induces a charge +Q on the other plate of C2.

• This in turn produces a charge –Q on one plate of C1 and a

charge of +Q on the other plate of capacitor C1.

• Hence the charges on all the three capacitors are the same,
Q.
• The potential difference across capacitor C1,C2 and C3 are
Q1 Q Q2 Q Q3 Q
V1   ; V2   ; V3  
C1 C1 C2 C2 C3 C3

• The total potential difference V  V 1  V 2  V 3

Q Q Q
V   
C1 C2 C3
V 1 1 1
  
Q C1 C2 C3

• If Ceq is the equivalent capacitance, then

• Therefore the equivalent (effective) capacitance Ceq for n

capacitors connected in series is given by
1 1 1 1 1 capacitors
    ... connected in
C eq C 1 C 2 C 3 Cn series
Capacitors connected in parallel
V -Q
+Q

Ceq

equivalent to
V

• Figure above shows 3 capacitors connected in parallel to a

battery of voltage V.

• When three capacitors are connected in parallel to a battery,

the capacitors are all charged until the potential differences
across the capacitors are the same.
• If not, the charge will flow from the capacitor of higher
potential difference to the other capacitors until they all
have the same potential difference, V.

• The potential difference across each capacitor is the same

as the supply voltage V.

• Thus the total potential difference (V) on the equivalent

capacitor is
V  V1  V2  V3
• The charge on each capacitor is
Q 1  C 1V 1  C 1V
Q 2  C 2V 2  C 2V
Q 3  C 3V 3  C 3V
• The total charge is
Q  Q1  Q2  Q3
Q  C 1V  C 2 V  C 3 V
Q Q
 C1  C2  C3 and V  C eq
V

• Therefore the equivalent (effective) capacitance Ceq for n

capacitors connected in parallel is given by

C eq  C 1  C 2  C 3  . . .C n
CAPACITORS CONNECTED
IN PARALLEL
 c) Derive and use energy stored in a capacitor, U

Energy stored in a capacitor, U

• A charged capacitor stores electrical energy.

• The energy stored in a capacitor will be equal to the work done

to charge it.

• A capacitor does not become charged instantly. It takes time.

• Initially, when the capacitor is uncharged , it requires no work

to move the first bit of charge over.
• The work needed to add a small amount of charge dq, when
a potential difference V is across the plates is, dW  Vdq

• Since V=q/C, the work • Thus the energy stored in a

needed to store a total capacitor is
charge Q is
Q
W   Vdq
0 1 Q2
W U 
1 Q
W   qdq 2 C
C 0 or
1
U  CV 2
Q
1 q  2
W    2
C  2 0 or
1 Q2 1
W  U  QV
2 C 2
 2.2 Charging and discharging of capacitors

LEARNING OUTCOMES :

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to :

a) State physical meaning of time constant and use τ = RC.

b) Sketch and explain the characteristics of Q - t and I - t

graph for charging and discharging of a capacitor.

c) Use:
i) Q  Q e  t / RC for discharging
o

ii) Q  Qo (1 e  t / RC ) for charging.

 2.2 a) State physical meaning of time constant and use τ = RC.

Time Constant, 

• Time constant is a product of resistance, R and

capacitance, C.

  RC where  = time constant

R = resistance
C = capacitance

• It is a measure of how quickly the capacitor charges or

discharges.
• Its formula,   R C
• Its unit is second (s).
 2.2 b) Sketch and explain the characteristics of Q - t and I - t graph for charging and discharging of a capacitor.

CHARGING A CAPACITOR THROUGH A RESISTOR

• Figure below shows a simple circuit for charging a capacitor.

• When the switch S is closed, current Io immediately begins to
flow through the circuit.
• Electrons travel from the
s w itc h , S negative terminal of the
e
battery, through the resistor
R and accumulate on the
plate B of the capacitor.
A   
V0 C
B • Then electrons from plate A
travel to the positive terminal
e of the battery, leaving a
positive charge on the plate
R A.
• As charge accumulates on the capacitor, the potential
difference across it increases and the current is reduced
until eventually the maximum voltage across the capacitor
equals the voltage supplied by the battery, Vo.

• At this time, no further current flows (I = 0) through the

resistor R and the charge Q on the capacitor thus
increases gradually and reaches a maximum value Qo.
 C h a rg e , Q (C ) C u rre n t, I ( A )

Q0
I0
0 .6 3 Q 0

0 .3 7 I 0

τ  RC t im e , t ( s ) τ  RC t im e , t ( s )
The charge on the capacitor The current through the resistor
increases exponentially with time decreases exponentially with time
Charge on charging Current in resistor :
capacitor :
t
 
t
 
Q  Q 0  1  e RC 

where
Q 0 : m a x im u m c h a r g e
I  I0e RC
 
I o : m a x im u m c u r r e n t
R : r e s is t a n c e o f t h e r e s is t o r
C : c a p a c it a n c e o f t h e c a p a c it o r
 DISCHARGING A CAPACITOR THROUGH A RESISTOR

• Figure below shows a simple circuit for discharging a

capacitor.
R  • When a capacitor is already
e charged to a voltage Vo and it
is allowed to discharge
through the resistor R as
A   
V0
shown in figure below.
C
B
• When the switch S is closed,
s w itc h , S e electrons from plate B begin
to flow through the resistor R
and neutralizes positive
charges at plate A.
• Initially, the potential difference (voltage) across the
capacitor is maximum, V0 and then a maximum current
I0 flows through the resistor R.

• When part of the positive charges on plate A is

neutralized by the electrons, the voltage across the
capacitor is reduced.

• The process continues until the current through the

resistor is zero.

• At this moment, all the charges at plate A is fully

neutralized and the voltage across the capacitor
becomes zero.
C h a rg e , Q (C ) C u rre n t, I ( A )

τ  RC t im e , t ( s )
Q0
0 .3 7 I 0

0 .3 7 Q 0
I0
τ  RC t im e , t ( s )

The charge on the capacitor The current through the resistor

decreases exponentially with time. decreases exponentially with time.
Charge on discharging
Current in resistor :
capacitor :
t t
 
Q  Q0e RC I  I e0
RC

The negative sign indicates that as the capacitor discharges, the current
direction opposite its direction when the capacitor was being charged.

**For calculation of current in discharging process, ignore the negative sign in the formula.
 2.3 Capacitors With Dielectrics
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to :

a) Define dielectric constant,  r 
o
b) Describe the effect of dielectric on a parallel plate
capacitor.

c) Calculate capacitance of air-filled parallel plate

capacitor, o A
Co 
d 
d) Use dielectric constant,  r 
o
e) Use capacitance with dielectric, C  r Co
 Dielectric

Introduction

• A dielectric is an insulating material. Hence no free

electrons are available in it.

• When a dielectric (such as rubber, plastics, ceramics,

glass or waxed paper) is inserted between the plates of a
capacitor, the capacitance increases.

• The capacitance increases by a factor  or r which is

called the dielectric constant (relative permittivity) of the
material.
 a) Define dielectric constant, r

Dielectric Constant, r

• Dielectric constant (relative permittivity), r is defined as

the ratio between the capacitance of given capacitor
with space between plates filled with dielectric, C with
the capacitance of same capacitor with plates in a
vacuum, C0.

r 
C where r = dielectric constant
C0 C = capacitance with dielectric
C0= capacitance in a vacum
 b) Describe the effect of dielectric on a parallel plate capacitor.

Parallel-plate Capacitors

• A parallel–plate capacitor consists of a pair of parallel plates

of area A separated by a small distance d.

• If a voltage is applied to a capacitor (connected to a

battery), it quickly becomes charged.

• One plate acquires a negative charge, the other an equal

amount of positive charge and the full battery voltage
appears across the plates of the capacitor (12 V).
• The capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor, C is
proportional to the area of its plates and inversely
proportional to the plate separation.

0 A
C Parallel-plate capacitor separated by a vacuum
d
or

A
C Parallel-plate capacitor separated by a dielectric material
d

ε 0 : p e r m it t iv it y o f f r e e s p a c e
= 8.85 x 10-12 C2 N-1 m-2
A : a r e a o f t h e p la t e
d : d is t a n c e b e t w e e n t h e t w o p la t e s
 d) Use dielectric constant, r
e) Use capacitance with dielectric
Use Dielectric Constant &
Use Capacitance with dielectric
C
r 
C0

 εA 
 d  ε
r    r  or ε   r ε 0
 ε0 A  ε0
 d 
 
 : p e r m it t iv it y o f d ie le c t r ic m a t e r ia l
ε 0 : p e r m it t iv it y o f f r e e s p a c e
r : dielectric constant
• From the definition of the capacitance,
Q Q
C and C0 
V V0

where Q is constant (capacitor is disconnected from battery)

C
since r 
C0

therefore

V0 V : p o t e n t ia l d if f e r e n c e a c r o s s c a p a c it o r w it h d ie le c t r ic
r 
V V 0 : p o t e n t ia l d if f e r e n c e a c r o s s c a p a c it o r in v a c u u m
• From the relationship between E and V for uniform electric
field,
V  E d and V 0  E 0 d

V0
since r 
V
E0d
r  d is constant
Ed
where

E 0 : e le c t r ic f ie ld s t r e n g t h o f t h e c a p a c it o r in v a c u u m
E0
r 
E E : e le c t r ic f ie ld s t r e n g t h o f t h e c a p a c it o r w it h d ie le c t r ic
 Material Dielectric constant, εr Dielectric Strength
(106 V m-1)
Air 1.00059 3
Mylar 3.2 7
Paper 3.7 16
Silicone oil 2.5 15
Water 80 -
Teflon 2.1 60

*** The dielectric strength is the maximum electric field before dielectric
breakdown (charge flow) occurs and the material becomes a
conductor.

C  V0 E 0
r    
C 0 0 V E
Dielectric effect on the parallel-plate capacitor

In figure (a), the region between the charged

plates is empty (vacuum). The field lines
point from the positive toward the negative
plate
• In figure (b), a dielectric is inserted
between the plates.
• Because of the electric field between the
plates, the molecules of the dielectric
(whether polar or non-polar) will tend to
become oriented as shown in the figure.
• The negative ends are attracted to the
positive plate and the positive ends are
attracted to the negative plate.
• Because of the end-to-end orientation,
the left surface of the dielectric become
negatively charged, and the right surface
become positively charged.
• Because of the surface charges on the
dielectric, not all the electric field lines
generated by the charges on the plates
pass through the dielectric.

• Figure (c) shows, some of the field lines

end on the negative surface charges and
begin again on the positive surface
charges.

E0
r 
E
• Thus, the electric field inside the dielectric is less
strong than the electric field inside the empty
capacitor, assuming the charge on the plates remains
constant.

• This reduction in the electric field is described by the

dielectric constant εr which is the ratio of the field
magnitude Eo without the dielectric to the field magnitude
E inside the dielectric:
 Quantity Capacitor With Capacitor Relationship
Dielectric Without
Dielectric
Electric Field E Eo E < Eo
Potential V Vo V < Vo
Difference
Charge Q Qo Q = Qo

Capacitance C Co C > Co
Energy stored U Uo U < Uo

C  V0 E 0
r    
C 0 0 V E