Physics 212

Lecture 8
Today's Concept:
Capacitors
Capacitors in a circuits, Dielectrics, Energy in capacitors

Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 1

 Simple Capacitor Circuit

V C +Q V
-Q C Q=VC

Battery has moved charge Q from one

plate to the other.

8 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 2

 Qtotal Parallel Capacitor Circuit

C1 C2
V
Q1 = C 1 V Q2 = C2V

Qtotal

Key point: V is the same for both capacitors

Key Point: Qtotal = Q1 + Q2 = VC1 + VC2 = V(C1 + C2)

Ctotal = C1 + C2

14 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 3

 Series Capacitor Circuit
Q Q=VCtotal

C1
+Q
-Q V1 Q
V Q V
+Q
C2
-Q V2 Q

Q
Key point: Q is the same for both capacitors
Key point: Q = VCtotal = V1C1 = V2C2
Also: V = V1 + V2 Q/Ctotal = Q/C1 + Q/C2
1 1 1
= +
17
C
Ctotal 1 C2 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 4
 Checkpoint 1
Which has lowest total capacitance:

C
C C C
C

1/Ctotal = 1/C + 1/C

= 2/C
Ctotal = C Ctotal = C/2 Ctotal = 2C

18 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 5

 Which has lowest total capacitance ?

C C
C
C C

Cleft = C/2 Cright = C/2

Ctotal = C
Ctotal = Cleft + Cright
Ctotal = C

20 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 6

 Similar to Checkpoint 3
Q2
C2

V0 V2
C1 C3
V1 Q1 V3 Q3

Ctotal
Which of the following is NOT necessarily true:
A) V0 = V1
B) Ctotal > C1
C) V2 = V3
D) Q2 = Q3
E) V1 = V 2 + V3
24 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 7
 Checkpoint 3
A circuit consists of three unequal capacitors C1, C2, and C3 which are connected to a battery of
voltage V0. The capacitance of C2 is twice that of C1. The capacitance of C3 is three times that of
C1. The capacitors obtain charges Q1, Q2, and Q3.

Compare Q1, Q2, and Q3.

X X
A. Q1 > Q3 > Q2 B. Q1 > Q2 > Q3 C. Q1 > Q2 = Q3 D. Q1 = Q2 = Q3 E. Q1 < Q2 = Q3

1. See immediately: Q2 = Q3 (capacitors in series)

2. How about Q1 vs. Q2 and Q3? Calculate C23 first.
Q1 = C1V0
1 1 1 1 1 5 6
= + = + = C 23 = C1 6
C 23 C 2 C 3 2C1 3C1 6C1 5 Q23 = Q2 = Q3 = C23V0 = C1V0
5

25 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 8

 Charge capacitor – store a logical “1”

Discharge capacitor – store a logical “0”

Row select : close the switch

Column select : charge or discharge C

1 Gigabyte ~ 1010 cells

Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 9
 Energy in a Capacitor

In Prelecture 7 we calculated the work done to move charge Q from

one plate to another:

C +Q

V U = 1/2QV
= 1/2CV2
Since Q = VC
-Q
=1/2Q2/C

This is potential energy waiting to be used…

26 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 10

 Dielectrics

C0 C1=kC0
V Q0=VC0 V Q1=VC1

By adding a dielectric you are just making a

new capacitor with larger capacitance (factor of k)

11 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 11

 Capacitor with dielectric
If connected to a battery V stays constant.

V1 = V
Q1 = C1V1
C1 = k C
V k
= k CV = kQ

Isolated capacitor: total Q stays constant.

Q1 = Q
k V1 = Q1/C1
C1 = k C
= Q/kC = V /k
Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 12
 Checkpoint 4a
Two identical parallel plate capacitors are given the same charge Q, after which they are
disconnected from the battery. After C2 has been charged and disconnected, it is filled with a
dielectric.

Compare the voltages of the two capacitors.

A. V1 > V2 B. V1 = V2 C. V1 < V2

Consider first the effect on the capacitance, then, does Q or V stay constant?

33 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 13

 Effects of dielectric
Two identical parallel plate capacitors are connected to identical batteries.
Then a dielectric is inserted between the plates of capacitor C1. Compare the
energy stored in the two capacitors.

C0 C1
V V k=2

A) U1 < U0 B) U0 = U1 C) U1 > U0

Compare using U = 1/2CV2

U1/U0 = k
Potential Energy goes UP
35 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 14
 Checkpoint 4b
Two identical parallel plate capacitors are given the same charge Q, after which they are
disconnected from the battery. After C2 has been charged and disconnected, it is filled with a
dielectric.

Compare the potential energy stored by the two capacitors.

A. U1 > U2 B. U1 = U2 C. U1 < U2

Consider first the effect on the capacitance, then, does Q or V stay constant?

33 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 15

 Checkpoint 4c
Two identical parallel plate capacitors are given the same charge Q, after which they are
disconnected from the battery. After C2 has been charged and disconnected, it is filled with a
dielectric.

A. The charges will flow so that the charge on C1 will become equal to the charge on C2.
B. The charges will flow so that the energy stored in C1 will become equal to the energy stored in
C2.
C. The charges will flow so that the potential difference across C1 will become the same as the
potential difference across C2.
D. No charges will flow. The charge on the capacitors will remain what it was before they were
connected.

V must be the same !

Q: Q1 Q2
=
C
Q1 = 1 Q2
C1 C2 C2

U: U 1 = 12 C1V 2 C1
U1 = U2
U 2 = 12 C 2V 2 C2 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 16
 Calculation

C0 V
An air-gap capacitor,
V having capacitance C0
x0 k and width x0 is
connected to a battery of
x0/4 voltage V.

A dielectric (k) of width

x0/4 is inserted into the
gap as shown.
Q
C What is Qf, the final
V charge on the capacitor?

What changes when the dielectric added?

(A) Only C (B) only Q (C) only V (D) C and Q (E) V and Q

Adding dielectric changes the physical capacitor C changes

V does not change and C changes Q changes

38 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 17
 Calculation

C0 V
V
x0 k
x0/4

How does potential difference change ?

Vleft k Vright

(A) Vleft < Vright (B) Vleft = Vright (C) Vleft > Vright

The conducting plate is an equipotential !

40 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 18
 Calculation

C0 V
V
x0 k
x0/4

Consider capacitor to be two capacitances, C1 and C2, in parallel:

C1 C2
k = k

What is C1 ?

(A) C1 = C0 (B) C1 = 3/4C0 (C) C1 = 4/3C0 (D) C1 = 1/4C0

In general. For parallel plate capacitor: C = e0A/d

A = 3/4A0
C1 = 3/4 (e0A0/d0) C1 = 3/4C0
d = d0
43 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 19
 Calculation

C0 V
V
x0 k
x0/4

C1 C2
k = k C1 = 3/4C0

What is C2 ?
(A)C2 = kC0 (B) C2 = 3/4 kC0 (C) C2 = 4/3 kC0 (D) C2 = 1/4 kC0

In general. For parallel plate capacitor filled with dielectric: C = ke0A/d

A = 1/4A0
C = ¼(ke0A0/d0) C2 = 1/4 kC0
d = d0

45 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 20

 Calculation

C0 V
V
x0 k
x0/4

C C1 C2
k = k C1 = 3/4C0 C2 = 1/4 kC0

What is C? −1
(A) C = C1 + C2 (B) C = C + k C (C) C =  1 + 1 
1 2 C C 
 1 2

C = parallel combination of C1 and C2: C = C1 + C2

C = C0 (3/4 + 1/4 k)
46 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 21
 Calculation

C0 V
V
x0 k
x0/4

C C1 C2
k = k C1 = 3/4C0 C2 = 1/4 kC0

C = C0 (3/4 + 1/4 k)

What is Q? Q = VC

3 1 
Q f = VC 0  + k 
4 4 
50 Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 22
 An air-gap capacitor,
Different Problem having capacitance C0
and width x0 is
connected to a battery of
voltage V and then
Q0 C0 battery is disconnected.
V V
x0 k
A dielectric (k) of width
1/4x0 1/4x0 is inserted into the
gap as shown.

What is Vf, the final

voltage on the capacitor?

(A) Vf < V (B) Vf = V (C) Vf > V

Q stays same: no way to add or subtract Q = Q0 = C0V

We know C: (property of capacitor) C = C0 (3/4 + 1/4 k)

Vf = Q/C = V/(3/4 + 1/4 k)

Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 23

 An air-gap capacitor,
Different Problem having capacitance C0
and width x0 is
connected to a battery
of voltage V and then
Q0 C0 battery is disconnected.
V V
x0 k A dielectric (k) of width
1/4x0
1/4x0 is inserted into the
gap as shown.

What is Vf, the final

voltage on the capacitor?

Vf = Q/C = V/(3/4 + 1/4 k)

How did energy stored in capacitor

change when dielectric inserted?

(A) U increased (B) U stayed same (C) U decreased

U = ½ Q2/C
Q remained same U decreased
C increased

Physics 212 Lecture 8, Slide 24