Lesson E13: Capacitance and Capacitors

Lesson E13: CAPACITANCE and CAPACITORS

Objectives
x To experimentally test the operation of a capacitor as a dc blocking
device
x To use a capacitor as an energy store
x To study the relationship between voltage and current in a capacitor

Equipment required
• base unit for the IPES system (power supply mod.PSU/EV, support
for modules mod.MU/EV), Individual Control mod.SISl/SIS2/SIS3
x experiment module MCM2/EV x
multimeter

E13.2 EXERCISES

 MCM2 Disconnect all jumpers

 SIS1 Turn all switches OFF

 SIS2 Insert lesson code: E13

N.B. Voltage and current measurements will be required on some

circuits. If only a single multimeter is available this will be used
sometimes as a voltmeter and at other times as an ammeter. When used
for voltage measurements, remember to short-circuit the points of the
circuit where the ammeter can be inserted.

Functioning of a capacitor

x Setthe multimeter for ac

x connect jumpers J1, J4, J7, J11, the voltmeter between points 1-2 and
the ammeter between points 3-4 to produce the circuit of figure E13.1

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 Lesson E13: Capacitance and Capacitors

fig. E13.1

x measure the voltage V across the capacitor and the current I flowing

Q1 What are these two quantities ?

SET
A B
1 5 V= 0V I= 1 A
2 1 V = 1 V I = 10 mA
3 4 V = 3 V I = 100 mA 4 2 V = 12 V I = 0.1 mA
5 3 V = 24 V I = 0.75 mA

x Disconnect the jumpers and set the instruments for d.c. measurements
x set the dc. voltage supply VCC to 25 V

x connect jumpers J2, J4, J6, J12 and repeat the previous measurements,
from the moment the dc is connected.

Q2 From these measurements, which of the following statements is true?

SET
A B
1 3 the current and voltage show a slight variation, but
quickly return to zero
2 5 the voltage rises steadily to 12 V, while the current stays
at zero
3 1 the voltage remains at zero, while the current stabilizes
to a
value of 1 mA
4 2 the current falls to zero when the voltage reaches 25 V
5 4 none of the above is true

The capacitor as an energy store

x Adjust Vcc (variable power supply) to +12V. Connect jumpers J3, J5,
J8, J12 and the voltmeter between points 1-2, to produce the circuit
of figure E13.2

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 Lesson E13: Capacitance and Capacitors

fig. E13.2

x check that the voltage across the terminals of the capacitor is equal to
12 V
x disconnect the jumper J12 and then immediately connect J13 x
observe the behaviour of LED 1

 SIS1 Turn switch S4 ON

 SIS2 Press INS

x Disconnect jumper J13 and connect jumper J12 x wait until

the voltage across the capacitor C4 reaches 12 V x disconnect
jumper J12 and immediately connect J13 x observe the
operation of LED 1 again

Q3 In the second case the LED has a stronger luminosity, but for a shorter time.
Why?

SET
A B
1 2 in the second case the voltage across the capacitor is higher
than 12 V
2 5 a 10K-resistor has been inserted in series with R2
3 1 the resistor R2 has become open circuit
4 3 a 1K-resistor has been connected in parallel with R2
5 4 a 10pF-capacitor has been inserted in parallel with C4

The stronger luminosity of the LED diode can be explained by a larger

flow of current, causing the capacitor to discharge more quickly.

 SIS1 Turn switch S4 OFF

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 Lesson E13: Capacitance and Capacitors

Voltage and current relationship in a capacitor

x Check that capacitor C4 is uncharged (zero voltage across it): if it isn’t,

discharge it by short-circuiting the capacitor terminals with a metal
conductor
x Connect jumpers J2, J4, J6, J12, the voltmeter between points 1-2 and
the ammeter between 3-4 to produce the circuit of figure E13.3

fig. E13.3

x While observing the ammeter, rapidly increase the power supply

voltage to about 12 V

Q4 From these observations, we can say that in a capacitor :

SET
A B
1 3 the current is not proportional to the speed of voltage change
2 4 the current is always equal to zero
3 5 the voltage is always equal to zero
4 1 the current is proportional to the speed of voltage change,
but it becomes zero when the voltage reaches its maximum
value (12 V in this case)
5 2 none of the above is true.

x Again observing the ammeter, quickly take back the power supply
back to 0 Volt

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 Lesson E13: Capacitance and Capacitors

Q5 From this observation we can say that:

SET
A B
1 2 the circuit has the same behaviour
as in the last case
2 5 the current is always equal to zero
3 4 the current is negative, is
proportional to the speed of voltage
change and disappears when the voltage
stabilizes
4 1 the voltage is always equal to zero
5 3 none of the above is true

E13.3 SUMMARY QUESTIONS

Q6 What is the voltage across a 0.15µF-capacitor, with 33x10-6 Coulomb

of charge?

SET
A B
1 3 4.5 V
2 5 4.95 V
3 2 220 V
4 1 12 V
5 4 17.2 V

Q7 A 5µF capacitor has a voltage of 50 V. What is the charge stored?

SET
A B
1 4 Q =12.5 C
2 5 Q = 25 mC
3 2 Q = 25 µC
4 1 Q = 250 µC 5 3 Q = 500 nC

Q8 A capacitor connected to a voltage of 220 V has a stored charge of 100

mC. What is its capacitance ?

SET
A B

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 Lesson E13: Capacitance and Capacitors

1 2 C = 545 nF
2 3 C = 454.5 µF
3 5 C = 45.4 pF
4 1 C= 3 µF 5 4 C = 4.54 F

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 Lesson E13: Capacitance and Capacitors

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