SP212 Worksheet 25

Exercise 1: The capacitor plates are connected to the battery.

1 2
(a) What are ∆V12 , ∆V23 , and ∆V34 after the 3
+ 5 1 mm
battery has been connected for “a long time?” 4
3V
−

(b) What is the electric field magnitude at point 5?

(c) Insulating handles will be used to pull the plates slightly apart while the battery
remains attached. Do these quantities increase, decrease or stay the same?
• capacitor potential difference ∆Vcap

• E-field strength E5

• charge per unit area σ on plates

• capacitor charge q

• capacitance C ≡ Q/∆Vcap

1
 SP212 Worksheet 25

Exercise 2: We have parallel, conducting plates of area A with charge ±q, separated
by distance d.

+q + + + + + + + + + + + + +

d
−q − − − − − − − − − − − − −

(a) In the right-hand figure draw arrows showing the direction of the electric field.
Assume the plates are large compared to d so that we can pretend they are infinite.
(b) Draw a Gaussian surface to find the electric field magnitude.
~ · dA
~ leaving this surface, in terms of the field
H
(c) What is the net flux Φ = E
magnitude E?

(d) Now that we know the flux, write the charge q in terms of E, A, and d.

(e) What is the potential difference V (formerly known as ∆V ) between the plates,
in terms of E?

(f) Putting it all together: in terms of E, A, and d, what is the capacitance C ≡ q/V ?

(g) What are the units of 0 in terms of farads and length units?

2
 SP212 Worksheet 25

Exercise 3: Capacitors in series and in parallel:

C3

batt C1 C2 batt

C4

(A) (B)

(a) Which pair of capacitors is in series and which is in parallel?

(b) Are the following quantities equal or not?

• V1 = V2 ?
• q1 = q 2 ?
• V3 = V4 ?
• q3 = q 4 ?

Exercise 4: Are the following pairs of capacitors in series, in parallel, or neither?

C1 C3
batt

batt C4

C2 (a) (b)

3
 SP212 Worksheet 25

Exercise 5: (Sample Problem 25.02, numbers changed) Find (a) the equivalent capac-
itance of the three-capacitor arrangement and (b) the charge q3 on the 3 µF capacitor.

3 µF 1 µF

10 V
6 µF

4
 SP212 Worksheet 25

Exercise 6: A 12 µF capacitor is connected to a 10 V battery so that the capacitor has

initial voltage V0 = 10 V and holds initial charge q0 =120 µC.
(a) While the capacitor is still connected to the battery, material with dielectric con-
stant κ = 2 is inserted between the capacitor plates. What are the capacitor’s new
C, V , and q?

(b) The dielectric is removed and the capacitor, again with q0 , and V0 , is disconnected
from the battery without being discharged. Now the dielectric is reinserted. What
are the new C, V , and q?

(c) In situations (a) and (b) does the electric field strength in the capacitor increase,
decrease, or stay the same?