Electrostatics

1. Basic principles of electrostatics are explained

2. Capacitors are explained in terms of capacitance and capacitor dimensions
3. Capacitors are outlined in terms of capacitor types and capacitor
characteristics
4. Capacitor charge and discharge action is described and actual measurements
are taken in circuits
5. Voltage and charge on capacitors in series and parallel electric circuits are
calculated
6. Energy stored in a charged capacitor is calculated
7. Safety principles on capacitors are explained
8. Capacitors are outlined relevant to different industrial applications

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
A Capacitor is a energy storing device, which is made up of two or more
conducting plates and an insulating material, the dielectric, between the plates.

Figure1: Schematic of a capacitor Figure 2: Symbol for a capacitor

“Capacitors are used for storing electric charge in applications that require a quick
discharge, for example, a camera flash and also play a major role in the turning
circuits of TVs and radios” [2].
You should be cautions when connecting polarized capacitors in a circuit, because the
are explosive if connected wrongly.
The ability of a capacitor (C) to store a charge is called the capacitance, and the
unit in which capacitance is measured is the farad (F).

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• A capacitance of a capacitor is affected by few parameters, which are: the area
of the plates, the distance between the plates i.e. dielectric distance, and the
material used for dielectric.

𝜖𝑟 𝜖0 𝐴(𝑛 − 1)
𝐶= … … … … . . 𝑒𝑞 1
𝑑
• Equation 1 is used to calculate the capacitance of the capacitor, where:
• 𝜖𝑟 is the relative permittivity of the dielectric which is material dependant
• 𝜖0 is the permittivity of free space, which is a constant 8,85 × 10−12 𝐹/𝑚
• 𝐴 is the area of the free space (𝑚2 )
• 𝑛 is the number of plates
• 𝑑 is the distance between the plates, or the length of the dielectric (m)
• C is the capacitance in farads (F)
• Capacitors as resistors can also be connected in parallel and in series, with
charge following in the capacitive circuit. The charge stored by the capacitor
is directly proportional to the charging voltage and the capacitance.
𝑄 = 𝐶𝑉
• Where: 𝑄 is the charge in coulombs (C), C the capacitance and V the voltage across the
capacitance

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• When a voltage is connected across the two or more parallel identical
conducting plates of a capacitor, it stores a charge Q. With opposite parallel
polarity plates, between the plates the will be electric field lines induced, which
starts from a positive charge (+𝑄) and ends on a negative charge (−𝑄) as seen
in figures below:

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• Calculating capacitance

• Capacitance for series capacitors

1 1 1
= +
𝐶𝑇 𝐶1 𝐶2

Or

𝐶1 × 𝐶2
𝐶𝑇 =
𝐶1 + 𝐶2
• Capacitance for parallel capacitors
𝐶𝑇 = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• With capacitors we also have voltage and current divider
• Voltage, as in resistive circuit, divides when capacitors are connected in
series
• Charge in capacitive circuit divides in parallel capacitors
Series
C1
Capacitors
C 2

VT

𝑸𝑪𝟏 = 𝑸𝑪𝟐

𝑽𝑻 = 𝑽𝑪𝟏 + 𝑽𝑪𝟐

𝑽𝑻
𝑽𝑪𝟏 = 𝑪
𝑪𝟏 + 𝑪𝟐 𝟐

𝑽𝑻
𝑽𝑪𝟐 = 𝑪
𝑪𝟏 + 𝑪𝟐 𝟏

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• Parallel Capacitors C1

C2

VT

𝑽𝑻 = 𝑽𝑪𝟏 = 𝑽𝑪𝟐

𝑸𝑻 = 𝑸𝑪𝟏 + 𝑸𝑪𝟐

𝑸𝑻
𝑸𝑪𝟏 = 𝑪
𝑪𝟏 + 𝑪𝟐 𝟏

𝑸𝑻
𝑸𝑪𝟐 = 𝑪
𝑪𝟏 + 𝑪𝟐 𝟐

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
 Charging and Discharging of a Capacitor
• As mentioned before, capacitors are a storage device, which they store charge
for a short period of time. By connecting a voltmeter to measure the voltage
across the capacitor one can see the increments of voltage with respect to time
and this is basically the charging of the capacitor.

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• The RC circuit is when a resistor is connected in series with a capacitor across
a constant voltage supply (DC voltage), ….., the voltage across the capacitor
after the switch is connected on terminal 1 (charging) increases exponentially
from zero to Vs.
• The time constant (T), in seconds, is the time required for the potential
different across the capacitor to increase from zero to its final value (fully
charged), which it takes 5 time constant or 5T.
𝑇 = 𝑅𝐶
Where: T is the time constant, R is the charging resistor (𝑅1 ) and C the capacitor.

• The charging voltage across and current through the capacitor are respectively
expressed as follows:
−𝑡
𝑉𝑐 = 𝑉𝑠 (1 − 𝑒 )
𝑇 Charging voltage

−𝑡
𝑖𝑐 = 𝐼𝑒 𝑇 Charging current

1
E = CV 2 Energy stored in capacitor
2

• The latter equation represents the energy stored in a capacitor in joules.

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• Electric field strength (or electric field intensity) across and electric field
density through the capacitor are respectively expressed as follows:
𝑉
𝐸= Electric field strength in V/m is defined as the force on a unit test charge at a
𝑑
particular location.

𝑄
𝐷= Electric flux density in C/𝒎𝟐 is a measure of the strength of an electric
𝐴(𝑛−1)
field generated by a free electric charge, passing through a given area.

• The ratio of: 𝐷/𝐸 is called the permittivity of the dielectric

𝐷
𝜖𝑟 𝜖0 = 𝜖 =
𝐸

Where:
𝜖𝑟 𝜖0 = 𝜖

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• The discharging voltage across (this is when the switch is connected in terminal
2) and current through the capacitor are respectively expressed as follows:

−𝑡
𝑉𝑐 = 𝑉𝑠 𝑒 𝑇 Discharging voltage

−𝑡
𝑖𝑐 = 𝐼(1 − 𝑒 𝑇 ) Discharging current

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• Example: For the circuit given below determine the voltage and
charge for each capacitor and fill in the table
90𝜇F

30𝜇F

40𝜇F 120𝜇F

60𝜇F
225V

Component Voltage Charge

30𝜇F
40𝜇F
60𝜇F
90𝜇F
120𝜇F

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• Solution 1 (using “ohm’s law”)
• 40𝜇F and the 120𝜇F are in series (we treat series capacitors like parallel resistors)
90𝜇F

30𝜇F
𝐶40𝜇𝐹 ×𝐶120𝜇𝐹 40𝜇×120𝜇
𝐶𝑠1 = 𝐶 = = 30𝜇𝐹 (see figure 1)
40𝜇𝐹 +𝐶120𝜇𝐹 40𝜇+120𝜇
30𝜇F

𝐶//1 = 𝐶𝑠1 + 𝐶90𝜇𝐹 = 30𝜇 + 90𝜇 = 120𝜇𝐹(see figure 2)

Now we have three capacitors in series 60𝜇F
1 1 1 −1 225V
𝐶𝑇 = ( + + ) = 17,143𝜇𝐹
30𝜇 60𝜇 120𝜇 Figure 1
30𝜇F 120𝜇F

𝑄𝑇 = 𝐶𝑇 𝑉𝑇 = 17,143𝜇 × 225 = 3,857𝑚𝐶

This charge will flow through the three series capacitors
𝑄𝑇 3,857𝑚
𝑉30𝜇𝐹 = = = 128,571𝑉
𝐶30𝜇𝐹 30𝜇
𝑄𝑇 3,857𝑚 60𝜇F
𝑉60𝜇𝐹 = = = 64,286𝑉 225V
𝐶60𝜇𝐹 60𝜇 Figure 2

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
 𝑄𝑇 3,857𝑚
• 𝑉120𝜇𝐹 = 𝐶 = 120𝜇
= 32,143𝑉 (since 120𝜇F is the equivalent of 90𝜇F in parallel with
120𝜇𝐹
30𝜇F)
Therefore: 𝑉120𝜇𝐹 = 𝑉90𝜇𝐹 = 𝑉30𝜇𝐹 = 32,143𝑉
• And the 30𝜇F is the equivalent of 120𝜇F in series with 40𝜇F, meaning:
𝑉30𝜇𝐹 = 𝑉120𝜇𝐹 + 𝑉40𝜇𝐹 = 32,143𝑉
𝑄30𝜇𝐹 = 𝐶30𝜇𝐹 × 𝑉30𝜇𝐹 = 30𝜇 × 32,143 = 0,964𝑚𝐶 (this charge will flow through the 120𝜇F
and 40𝜇F capacitors)
𝑄30𝜇𝐹 0,964𝑚
𝑉120𝜇𝐹 = 𝐶 = = 8,036𝑉
120𝜇𝐹 120𝜇
𝑄30𝜇𝐹 0,964𝑚
𝑉40𝜇𝐹 = = = 24,107𝑉 (with all the voltages and some charge acquired we can
𝐶40𝜇𝐹 40𝜇
easily fill up the table)

Component Voltage Charge

30𝜇F 128,571V 3,857mC
40𝜇F 24,107V 0,964mC
60𝜇F 64,286V 3,857mC
90𝜇F 32,143V 2,893mC
120𝜇F 8,036V 0,964mC
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• Solution 1 (using voltage and current (charge) divider)
• 40𝜇F and the 120𝜇F are in series (we treat series capacitors like parallel resistors)
90𝜇F

𝐶40𝜇𝐹 ×𝐶120𝜇𝐹 40𝜇×120𝜇 30𝜇F

𝐶𝑠1 = 𝐶 = 40𝜇+120𝜇 = 30𝜇𝐹 (see figure 1)
40𝜇𝐹 +𝐶120𝜇𝐹

𝐶//1 = 𝐶𝑠1 + 𝐶90𝜇𝐹 = 30𝜇 + 90𝜇 = 120𝜇𝐹(see figure 2) 30𝜇F

Now we have three capacitors in series

1 1 −1
𝐶𝑆2 = ( + ) = 20𝜇𝐹
30𝜇 60𝜇 60𝜇F
225V

𝑉𝑇 225 Figure 1
𝑉𝑠2 = 𝐶120𝜇𝐹 = × 120𝜇 = 192,857𝑉 30𝜇F 120𝜇F
𝐶𝑠2 + 𝐶120𝜇𝐹 20𝜇 + 120𝜇

𝑉𝑆2 192,857
𝑉30𝜇𝐹 = 𝐶60𝜇𝐹 = × 60𝜇 = 128,571𝑉
𝐶60𝜇𝐹 + 𝐶30𝜇𝐹 60𝜇 + 30𝜇

𝑉𝑇 225
𝑉120𝜇𝐹 = 𝐶𝑆2 = × 20𝜇 = 32,143𝑉 60𝜇F
𝐶𝑠2 + 𝐶120𝜇𝐹 20𝜇 + 120𝜇 225V
Figure 2
Can continue with the calculations using these methods

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
 Exercises
• Exercise 1
Determine the charge and voltage in respect of all the capacitors in the circuit
given in figure below. Complete the table to reflect your answers

Components Voltage Charge

2𝜇F
3𝜇F
4𝜇F
5𝜇F
6𝜇F
7𝜇F
8𝜇F
9𝜇F
12𝜇F

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
• Exercise 2 [used the prescribe textbook]
A 8𝜇F capacitor is connected in series with a 0,5MΩ resistance across a 200
V DC supply. Calculate:
2.1. The time constant.
2.2. The initial charging current.
2.3. The time take for the p.d. across the capacitor to reach 125V.
2.4. The current and the p.d. across the capacitor 4 seconds after it is
connected to the supply voltage.
• Exercise 3 [used the prescribe textbook]
Two capacitors (𝐶1 and 𝐶2 ) are connected is series, 𝐶1 is 12𝜇F and 𝐶2 is
unknown but its dimensions are given. 𝐶2 is a 6 plates capacitor, with an
area of 0,2 𝑚2 for each plate and a dielectric of air where the plates are 0,01
mm apart. 220V DC supply is connected across the series combination.
Determine:
3.1. The capacitance of 𝐶2
3.2. The total capacitance of the circuit
3.3. The total charge

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi
References

• https://electric-shocks.com/capacitor-capacitance-how-it-work/
• http://www.brainkart.com/article/Electrostatic-induction_529/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=6101721
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=57671069
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=4932111
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=140711
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=4945362
• https://www.essaycompany.com/essays/engineering/electric-
filed-strength-and-electric-flux-density-engineering-essay

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Department of Electrical Engineering
Lecturer: Mr Mlonzi