Storyline

Chapter 25:
Capacitance and Dielectrics

Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 10e

Raymond A. Serway
John W. Jewett, Jr.
 Definition of Capacitance
Q  C V
The capacitance C of a capacitor is
defined as the ratio of the magnitude of Q
the charge on either conductor to the C
magnitude of the potential difference V
between the conductors:

1 F  1 C/V
Definition of Capacitance
 Quick Quiz 25.1
A capacitor stores charge Q at a potential difference V.
What happens if the voltage applied to the capacitor by
a battery is doubled to 2 V?
(a) The capacitance falls to half its initial value, and the
charge remains the same.
(b) The capacitance and the charge both fall to half their
initial values.
(c) The capacitance and the charge both double.
(d) The capacitance remains the same, and the charge
doubles.
 Quick Quiz 25.1
A capacitor stores charge Q at a potential difference V.
What happens if the voltage applied to the capacitor by
a battery is doubled to 2 V?
(a) The capacitance falls to half its initial value, and the
charge remains the same.
(b) The capacitance and the charge both fall to half their
initial values.
(c) The capacitance and the charge both double.
(d) The capacitance remains the same, and the
charge doubles.
Calculating Capacitance

Q Q a
C    4 0 a
V ke Q /a ke
 Calculating Capacitance

 Q
E 
0 0 A

Qd
V  Ed 
0 A
Q Q
C 
V Qd / 0 A
0 A
C
d
 Quick Quiz 25.2
Many computer keyboard buttons are constructed of
capacitors as shown in the figure. When a key is pushed
down, the soft insulator between the movable plate and
the fixed plate is compressed. When the key is pressed,
what happens to the capacitance?
(a) It increases.
(b) It decreases.
(c) It changes in a way you
cannot determine because
the electric circuit connected
to the keyboard button may
cause a change in V.
 Quick Quiz 25.2
Many computer keyboard buttons are constructed of
capacitors as shown in the figure. When a key is pushed
down, the soft insulator between the movable plate and
the fixed plate is compressed. When the key is pressed,
what happens to the capacitance?
(a) It increases.
(b) It decreases.
(c) It changes in a way you
cannot determine because
the electric circuit connected
to the keyboard button may
cause a change in V.
 Example 25.1:
The Cylindrical Capacitor
A solid cylindrical conductor of radius a and charge Q is
coaxial with a cylindrical shell of negligible thickness
and radius b > a. Find the capacitance of this cylindrical
capacitor if its length is .
 Example 25.1:
The Cylindrical Capacitor
b  
Vb  Va    E  ds
a

b b dr b
Vb  Va    Er dr  2ke    2ke  ln  
a a r a
Q
C
V
Q

 2ke Q / ln  b /a 


2ke ln  b /a 
 Example 25.1:
The Cylindrical Capacitor

C 1

 2ke ln  b /a 
 Example 25.1:
The Cylindrical Capacitor
Suppose b = 2.00a for the cylindrical capacitor. You
would like to increase the capacitance, and you can do so
by choosing to increase either  by 10% or a by 10%.
Which choice is more effective at increasing the
capacitance?

C  /2ke ln  b /a  ln  b /a 
 
C /2ke ln  b /a   ln  b /a  

C ln  2.00a /a  ln 2
   1.16
C ln  2.00a /1.10a  ln1.82
 Example 25.2:
The Spherical Capacitor
A spherical capacitor consists of a spherical conducting
shell of radius b concentric with a smaller conducting
sphere of radius a. Find the capacitance of this device.
 Example 25.2:
The Spherical Capacitor
b  
Vb  Va    E  ds
a
b
b b dr 1 
Vb  Va    Er dr  ke Q  2
 ke Q  
a a r  r a
1 1 a b
Vb  Va  ke Q     ke Q
b a ab

Q Q ab
C  
V Vb  Va ke  b  a 
 Example 25.2:
The Spherical Capacitor
If the radius b of the outer sphere approaches infinity,
what does the capacitance become?
ab ab a
C  lim    4  a
b  k  b  a  k e  b  ke
e
Combinations of Capacitors
Parallel Combination

V1  V2  V

Qtot  Q1  Q2
 C1V1  C 2 V2
 Parallel Combination
Qtot  Ceq V

Ceq V  C1V1  C2 V2

  C1  C2  V
 Ceq V
Ceq  C1  C2
 parallel combination 
Ceq  C1  C2 +C3 +  parallel combination 
Series Combination

Q1  Q2  Q

Vtot  V1  V2

Q1 Q2
 
C1 C2
 Series Combination
Q
Vtot 
Ceq
Q Q1 Q2
 
Ceq C1 C2

1 1 1
   series combination 
Ceq C1 C2

1 1 1 1
  + +  series combination 
Ceq C1 C2 C3
 Quick Quiz 25.3
Two capacitors are identical. They can be connected in
series or in parallel. If you want the smallest equivalent
capacitance for the combination,
how should you connect them?
(a) in series
(b) in parallel
(c) either way because both combinations have the same
capacitance
 Quick Quiz 25.3
Two capacitors are identical. They can be connected in
series or in parallel. If you want the smallest equivalent
capacitance for the combination,
how should you connect them?
(a) in series
(b) in parallel
(c) either way because both combinations have the same
capacitance
 Example 25.3:
Equivalent Capacitance
Find the equivalent capacitance between a and b for
the combination of capacitors shown in the figure. All
capacitances are in microfarads.
 Example 25.3:
Equivalent Capacitance

Ceq  C1  C2
 4.0  F

Ceq  C1  C2
 8.0  F

1 1 1 1 1 1
      Ceq  2.0  F
Ceq C1 C2 4.0  F 4.0  F 2.0  F
1 1 1 1 1 1
      Ceq  4.0  F
Ceq C1 C2 8.0  F 8.0  F 4.0  F
Ceq  C1  C2  6.0  F
Energy Stored in a Charged Capacitor
Energy Stored in a Charged Capacitor
 Energy Stored in a Charged Capacitor
q
dW  V dq  dq
C
2
Q q 1 Q Q
W  dq   q dq 
0 C C 0 2C
2
Q 1 1
 QV  C  V 
2
UE 
2C 2 2
1  0 A  1
 Ed     0 Ad  E
2
UE   
2

2 d  2
1
uE   0 E 2
2
 Quick Quiz 25.4
You have three capacitors and a battery. In which of the
following combinations of the three capacitors is the
maximum possible energy stored when the combination
is attached to the battery?
(a) series
(b) parallel
(c) no difference because both combinations store the
same amount of energy
 Quick Quiz 25.4
You have three capacitors and a battery. In which of the
following combinations of the three capacitors is the
maximum possible energy stored when the combination
is attached to the battery?
(a) series
(b) parallel
(c) no difference because both combinations store the
same amount of energy
 Example 25.4:
Rewiring Two Charged Capacitors
Two capacitors C1 and C2 (where
C1 > C2) are charged to the same initial
potential difference Vi . The charged
capacitors are removed from the
battery, and their plates are connected
with opposite polarity as in the top
figure. The switches S1 and S2 are then
closed as in the bottom figure.

(A) Find the final potential difference

Vf between a and b after the switches
are closed.
 Example 25.4:
Rewiring Two Charged Capacitors

Qi  Q1i  Q2i  C1Vi  C2 Vi

  C1  C2  Vi

Q f  Q1 f  Q2 f  C1V f  C2 V f
  C1  C2  V f

Q f  Qi   C1  C2  V f   C1  C2  Vi

 C1  C2 
V f    Vi
 C1  C2 
 Example 25.4:
Rewiring Two Charged Capacitors
(B) Find the total energy stored in the
capacitors before and after the switches
are closed and determine the ratio of
the final energy to the initial energy.

1 1
U i  C1  Vi   C2  Vi 
2 2

2 2
1
  C1  C2   Vi 
2

2
 Example 25.4:
Rewiring Two Charged Capacitors
1 1 1
U f  C1  V f   C2  V f    C1  C2   V f 
2 2 2

2 2 2

1  C1  C2   Vi 
2 2 2
1  C1  C2  
U f   C1  C2    Vi  
2  C1  C2   2 C1  C2

 C1  C2   Vi  /  C1  C2 
2 2
Uf 1
 2

2  C1  C2   Vi 
2
Ui 1

2
 C1  C2 
  
 C1  C2 
 Example 25.4:
Rewiring Two Charged Capacitors
What if the two capacitors have the same capacitance?
What would you expect to happen when the switches
are closed?

Qi   C1  C2  Vi  Qi  0

 C1  C2 
V f    Vi  V f  0
 C1  C2 

1  C1  C2   Vi 
2 2

Uf  Uf  0
2 C1  C2
 Capacitors with Dielectrics
V0
V 

Q0 Q0
C 
V V0 /
Q0

V0
C   C0

0 A
C 
d
Capacitors with Dielectrics

0 A
C 
d
 Example 25.5:
Energy Stored Before and After
A parallel-plate capacitor is charged with a battery to a
charge Q0. The battery is then removed, and a slab of
material that has a dielectric constant  is inserted
between the plates. Identify the system as the capacitor
and the dielectric. Find the energy stored in the system
before and after the dielectric is inserted.
2
Q0 Q0 2
U0  UE 
2C0 2C
2
Q0 U0
UE  
2 C0 
Induced Polarization
An Atomic Description of Dielectrics

 E0
E= E  E0  Eind

   ind    
    ind   
 0  0  0   
 Example 25.7:
Effect of a Metallic Slab
A parallel-plate capacitor has a plate separation d and
plate area A. An uncharged metallic slab of thickness a
is inserted midway between the plates.
(A) Find the capacitance of the device.

1 1 1
 
C C1 C2
1/ 0 A 1/ 0 A
 
 d  a  /2  d  a  /2
 0 /A
C
d a
 Example 25.7:
Effect of a Metallic Slab
(B) Show that the capacitance of the original capacitor
is unaffected by the insertion of the metallic slab if the
slab is infinitesimally thin.

  0 /A   0 A
C  lim   
a  d  a d
 
 Example 25.7:
Effect of a Metallic Slab
What if the metallic slab in part (A) is not midway
between the plates? How would that affect the
capacitance?
1 1 1 1 1
   
C C1 C2  0 A/b  0 A/  d  b  a 
b d ba
 
0 A 0 A
0 A
C 
d a
 Example 25.8:
A Partially Filled Capacitor
A parallel-plate capacitor with a plate separation d has a
capacitance C0 in the absence of a dielectric. What is the
capacitance when a slab of dielectric material of
dielectric constant  and thickness fd is inserted
between the plates, where f
is a fraction between 0 and 1?
 Example 25.8:
A Partially Filled Capacitor
 0 A 0 A
C1  and C2 
fd  1 f  d
1 1 1 fd 1 f  d
   
C C1 C2  0 A 0 A
1 fd  1 f  d
 
C  0 A  0 A
f   1 f  d

 0 A

C C0
f    1 f 