Principles of Electric Circuits, Conventional Flow, 9 Ed

Chapter 12
Principles of Electric Circuits, Conventional Flow, 9th ed. © 2010 Pearson Higher Education,
Floyd Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved
Chapter 12
Summary
The Capacitor
Capacitors are one of the fundamental passive

components. In its most basic form, it is composed
of two plates separated by a dielectric.
The ability to store charge is the definition of
capacitance.
Conductors Dielectric
Chapter 12
Summary
The Capacitor
VV SS D ie le c t ric
The charging ++
+ ++


Le a d s
process… ++ + + +
+ ++  P la t e s
++ 
++ + +
 +
Initially
Source
Fully
Charging
charged
removed
uncharged   + +
+


 
 ++ + 
+ +  E le c t r o n s
+ + 
+ 
+ + +  B 
 AA A + BB
   +    
A capacitor with stored charge can act as a temporary battery.
Chapter 12
Capacitance
Capacitance is the ratio of charge to voltage
Q
C
V
Rearranging, the amount of charge on a
capacitor is determined by the size of the
capacitor (C) and the voltage (V).
Q  CV
If a 22 F capacitor is connected to
a 10 V source, the charge is 220 C
Chapter 12
Capacitance
An analogy:
Imagine you store rubber bands in a
bottle that is nearly full.
You could store more rubber bands
(like charge or Q) in a bigger bottle
(capacitance or C) or if you push them
in with more force (voltage or V).
Thus,
Q  CV
Chapter 12
Capacitance
A capacitor stores energy in the form of an electric field
that is established by the opposite charges on the two
plates. The energy of a charged capacitor is given by the
equation
1
W CV 2
2
where
W = the energy in joules
C = the capacitance in farads
V = the voltage in volts
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitance
The capacitance of a capacitor depends on
three physical characteristics.
 A
C  8.85  1012 F/m  r 
 d 
C is directly proportional to
the relative dielectric constant
and the plate area.
C is inversely proportional to
the distance between the plates
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitance
Find the capacitance of a 4.0 cm diameter
sensor immersed in oil if the plates are
separated by 0.25 mm.   r  4.0 for oil 
 r A  12
C  8.85  10 F/m  
 d 
The plate area is A  πr   0.02 m  1.26 10 m
2 2 3

2

3
The distance between the plates is 0.25  10 m
  4.0   1.26 10 3 m 2  
C  8.85  1012 F/m    178 pF
 0.25  103 m 
 
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitor types
Mica
Mica capacitors are small with high working voltage.
The working voltage is the voltage limit that cannot
be exceeded.
F o il
M ic a
F o il
M ic a
F o il
M ic a
F o il
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitor types
Ceramic disk
Ceramic disks are small nonpolarized capacitors They
have relatively high capacitance due to high r.
L e a d w ire s o ld e re d
t o s ilv e r e le c t ro d e
S o ld e r
D ip p e d p h e n o lic c o a t in g
C e r a m ic
d ie le c t ric S ilv e r e le c t r o d e s d e p o s it e d o n
t o p a n d b o t t o m o f c e ra m ic d is k
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitor types
Plastic Film
Plastic film capacitors are small and nonpolarized. They
have relatively high capacitance due to larger plate area.
H ig h - p u r it y
f o il e le c t ro d e s
P la s t ic f ilm
d ie le c t ric
O u t e r w ra p o f
p o ly e s t e r f ilm
C a p a c it o r s e c t io n
( a lt e rn a t e s t rip s o f
f ilm d ie le c t r ic a n d
L e a d w ir e f o il e le c t ro d e s )
S o ld e r c o a t e d e n d
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitor types
Electrolytic (two types)
Electrolytic capacitors have very high capacitance but
they are not as precise as other types and tend to have
more leakage current. Electrolytic types are polarized.
_
Al electrolytic
Ta electrolytic
Symbol for any electrolytic capacitor
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitor types
Variable
Variable capacitors typically have small capacitance
values and are usually adjusted manually.
A solid-state device that is used as a variable
capacitor is the varactor diode; it is adjusted with an
electrical signal.
Chapter 12
Capacitor labeling
Capacitors use several labeling methods. Small
capacitors values are frequently stamped on them such
as .001 or .01, which have units of microfarads.
Electrolytic capacitors have larger
values, so are read as F. The unit is usually
VTT
stamped as F, but some older ones may be
VT T
shown as MF or MMF).
Chapter 12
Capacitor labeling
A label such as 103 or 104 is read as 10x103
(10,000 pF) or 10x104 (100,000 pF)
respectively. (Third digit is the multiplier.)
When values are marked as 330 or 6800, the
units are picofarads.
What is the value of

each capacitor? Both are 2200 pF.
Chapter 12
Summary
Series capacitors
When capacitors are connected in series, the total
capacitance is smaller than the smallest one. The
general equation for capacitors in series is
1
CT 
1 1 1 1
   ... 
C1 C2 C3 CT
The total capacitance of two series capacitors is
1
CT 
1 1

C1 C2
…or you can use the product-over-sum rule
Chapter 12
Summary
Series capacitors
If a 0.001 F capacitor is connected

in series with an 800 pF capacitor,
the total capacitance is 444 pF
C 1 C 2
0 .0 0 1 µ F 800 pF
Chapter 12
Summary
Parallel capacitors
When capacitors are connected in parallel, the total
capacitance is the sum of the individual capacitors.
The general equation for capacitors in parallel is
CT  C1  C2  C3  ...Cn
If a 0.001 F capacitor is
C C
connected in parallel with 1 2
an 800 pF capacitor, the 0 .0 0 1 µ F 800 pF

total capacitance is 1800 pF
Chapter 12
Summary
V f in a l
Capacitors in dc circuits
When a capacitor is charged
through a series resistor and
0 t
dc source, the charging curve ( a ) C a p a c it o r c h a rg in g v o lt a g e
is exponential.
R I in it ia l
0 t
( b ) C h a rg in g c u r re n t
Chapter 12
Summary
V in it ia
Capacitors in dc circuits l
When a capacitor is discharged

through a resistor, the
discharge curve is also an 0 t
( a ) C a p a c it o r d is c h a r g in g v o lt a g e
exponential. (Note that the
current is negative.)
R  I in it ia l
0 t
( b ) D is c h a rg in g c u rre n t
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitors in dc circuits
VS
The same shape curves are
seen if a square wave is
used for the source.
What is the shape of the VC
current curve?
R
C
V S VR
The current has the same shape as VR.
Chapter 12
Summary
Universal exponential curves
Specific values for 100%
98%
99%
95%
current and voltage 86%
80%
can be read from a Rising exponential
Percent of final value

universal curve. For 63%
60%
an RC circuit, the
time constant is
40%
37%
τ  RC Falling exponential
20%
14%
5%
2% 1%
0
0 1t 2t 3t 4t 5t
Number of time constants
Chapter 12
Summary
Universal exponential curves
The universal curves can be applied to general formulas for
the voltage (or current) curves for RC circuits. The general
voltage formula is
v =VF + (Vi VF)et/RC
VF = final value of voltage
Vi = initial value of voltage
v = instantaneous value of voltage
The final capacitor voltage is greater than the initial
voltage when the capacitor is charging, or less that the
initial voltage when it is discharging.
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitive reactance
Capacitive reactance is the opposition to ac

by a capacitor. The equation for capacitive
reactance is
1
XC 
2πfC
The reactance of a 0.047 F capacitor when a

frequency of 15 kHz is applied is 226 
Chapter 12
Summary
Capacitive phase shift
When a sine wave

is applied to a V C
0
capacitor, there is a
phase shift between
o
90
voltage and current
such that current
I
always leads the 0
voltage by 90o.
Chapter 12
Summary
Power in a capacitor
Energy is stored by the capacitor during a portion of the ac
cycle and returned to the source during another portion of
the cycle.
Voltage and current are always 90o out of phase.
For this reason, no true power is dissipated by a capacitor,
because stored energy is returned to the circuit.
The rate at which a capacitor stores or returns
energy is called reactive power. The unit for reactive
power is the VAR (volt-ampere reactive).
Chapter 12
Summary
Switched capacitors
Switched capacitors move charge in a specific time interval
between two points that are different voltages. The
switched capacitors emulate a resistor with a value of
R=1/fC. Switched capacitors are widely used in certain
types of integrated circuits because they can be made very
small, have virtually no drift, and do not dissipate heat.
0 T/ 2 T
Position 1 Position 1 Position 1
I1 1 2
V1 V2
+ C +
- - Position 2 Position 2
0 T /2 T
Chapter 12
Selected Key Terms
Capacitor An electrical device consisting of two conductive
plates separated by an insulating material and
possessing the property of capacitance.
Dielectric The insulating material between the conductive

plates of a capacitor.
Farad The unit of capacitance.
RC time A fixed time interval set by the R and C values,

constant that determine the time response of a series RC
circuit. It equals the product of the resistance
and the capacitance.
Chapter 12
Selected Key Terms
Capacitive The opposition of a capacitor to sinusoidal
reactance current. The unit is the ohm.
Instantaneous The value of power in a circuit at a given

power (p) instant of time.
True power The power that is dissipated in a circuit

(Ptrue) usually in the form of heat.
Reactive The rate at which energy is alternately stored

power (Pr ) and returned to the source by a capacitor. The
unit is the VAR.
VAR The unit of reactive power.
(volt-ampere
reactive)
Chapter 12
Quiz
1. The capacitance of a capacitor will be larger if

a. the spacing between the plates is increased
b. air replaces oil as the dielectric
c. the area of the plates is increased
d. all of the above
Chapter 12
Quiz
2. The major advantage of a mica capacitor over other

types is
a. they have the largest available capacitances
b. their voltage rating is very high
c. they are polarized
d. all of the above
Chapter 12
Quiz
3. Electrolytic capacitors are useful in applications where

a. a precise value of capacitance is required
b. low leakage current is required
c. large capacitance is required
d. all of the above
Chapter 12
Quiz
4. If a 0.015 F capacitor is in series with a 6800 pF

capacitor, the total capacitance is
a. 1568 pF
b. 4678 pF
c. 6815 pF
d. 0.022 F
Chapter 12
Quiz
5. Two capacitors that are initially uncharged are

connected in series with a dc source. Compared to the
larger capacitor, the smaller capacitor will have
a. the same charge
b. more charge
c. less voltage
d. the same voltage
Chapter 12
Quiz
6. When a capacitor is connected through a resistor to a dc

voltage source, the charge on the capacitor will reach 50%
of its final charge in
a. less than one time constant
b. exactly one time constant
c. greater than one time constant
d. answer depends on the amount of voltage
Chapter 12
Quiz
7. When a capacitor is connected through a series resistor

and switch to a dc voltage source, the voltage across the
resistor after the switch is closed has the shape of
a. a straight line
b. a rising exponential
c. a falling exponential
d. none of the above
Chapter 12
Quiz
8. The capacitive reactance of a 100 F capacitor to 60 Hz

is
a. 6.14 k
b. 265 
c. 37.7 
d. 26.5 
Chapter 12
Quiz
9. If an sine wave from a function generator is applied to a

capacitor, the current will
a. lag voltage by 90o
b. lag voltage by 45o
c. be in phase with the voltage
d. none of the above
Chapter 12
Quiz
10. A switched capacitor emulates a

a. smaller capacitor
b. larger capacitor
c. battery
d. resistor
Chapter 12
Quiz
Answers:
1. c 6. a
2. b 7. c
3. c 8. d
4. b 9. d
5. a 10. d

Principles of Electric Circuits, Conventional Flow, 9 Ed

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Principles of Electric Circuits, Conventional Flow, 9 Ed

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 12

Capacitors are one of the fundamental passive

A capacitor with stored charge can act as a temporary battery.

Symbol for any electrolytic capacitor

What is the value of

If a 0.001 F capacitor is connected

an 800 pF capacitor, the 0 .0 0 1 µ F 800 pF

When a capacitor is discharged

The current has the same shape as VR.

Percent of final value

Capacitive reactance is the opposition to ac

The reactance of a 0.047 F capacitor when a

When a sine wave

Dielectric The insulating material between the conductive

Farad The unit of capacitance.

RC time A fixed time interval set by the R and C values,

Instantaneous The value of power in a circuit at a given

True power The power that is dissipated in a circuit

Reactive The rate at which energy is alternately stored

1. The capacitance of a capacitor will be larger if

2. The major advantage of a mica capacitor over other

3. Electrolytic capacitors are useful in applications where

4. If a 0.015 F capacitor is in series with a 6800 pF

5. Two capacitors that are initially uncharged are

6. When a capacitor is connected through a resistor to a dc

7. When a capacitor is connected through a series resistor

8. The capacitive reactance of a 100 F capacitor to 60 Hz

9. If an sine wave from a function generator is applied to a

10. A switched capacitor emulates a

You might also like