TOPIC 2 : CAPACITORS AND DIELECTRICS

2.1 Capacitance and capacitors in series and

parallel
2.2 Charging and discharging of capacitors
2.3 Capacitors with dielectrics

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 Learning Outcome:
At the end of this subtopic, students should be able to:
2.1 Capacitance and capacitors in series and parallel

(a) Define and use capacitance,

(b) Determine the effective capacitance of capacitors in

series: and in parallel:

(c) Apply energy stored in a capacitor,

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 Learning Outcome:

2.2 Charging and discharging of capacitors

(a) State physical meaning of time constant and use

(b) Sketch and explain the characteristics of Q-t and I-t graph
for
charging and discharging of a capacitor.

(c) Use:
i.
ii.

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 Learning Outcome:

2.3 Capacitors with dielectrics

(a) Define and use dielectric constant,

(b) Describe the effect of dielectric on a parallel plate capacitor.

(c) Apply capacitance of air-filled parallel plate capacitor,

(d) Determine capacitance with dielectric,

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 2.0 Introduction
Capacitor
o A device that is capable of storing electric charges
or electric potential energy.
o come in different shapes and sizes.
o used in a variety of electric circuits.

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o consists of two conductors separated by a small air
gap or a thin insulator (called dielectric)

conductor
Alumimium
Silver
Or other metals
Air gap OR
dielectric
Paper
Glass
Ceramic
Or other
nonconductive
materials

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o The conducting plates could be in the
shape of
1. cylindrical
2. spherical
3. parallel plate

o circuit symbol for capacitor :

or
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2.1 Capacitance and capacitors in series
and parallel
Capacitance
o is a measure of the ability of a capacitor to store
charge.
o is defined as the ratio of the charge on either plate to
the potential difference between them.

Q
C
V
where C : capacitance
Q : magnitude of charge on either plate
V : potential difference (voltage) across the two plates 8
o Scalar quantity

o SI unit : farad ( F )
o The capacitance for a capacitor does not change
unless it is designed to be a variable capacitor.

1 farad is defined as the charge of 1 coulomb stored on

each of the conducting plates as a result of a potential
difference of 1 volt between the two plates.

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 𝑸
𝑪=
𝑽
rearrange
𝑸=𝑪𝑽
𝑸∝𝑽
o The charges stored ( Q ) is directly proportional to the
potential difference ( V ) across the conducting plate.

o A capacitor with a large capacitance can hold more

charges than one with a smaller capacitance for
the same potential difference applied across them.

𝑸=𝟐𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝝁 ( 𝟐 ) 𝑸=𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝝁 ( 𝟐 )
C C
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Capacitors in series

Capacitors in Parallel

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 Comparison between capacitors in series and
parallel circuit
Series Parallel

Charge, Q

Potential
difference, V

Capacitance,
C

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Energy stored in a charged capacitor,

When a capacitor stores charge, it also stores energy

where the energy can be calculated using:

where
U : energy stored
Q : charge
C : capacitance
V : potential difference ‒

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2.2 Charging and discharging of capacitors
Time constant,
o The quantity that appears in the exponent for all
equations in the charging and discharging process is
called time constant,

o Formula : 𝝉 ∝ 𝑹;𝝉 ∝ 𝑪
o scalar quantity

o Unit : second (s)

o It is a measure of how quickly the capacitor charges

or discharges. 14
 Physical meaning for Time constant,

Charging

Discharging

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 Capacitors can undergo two different process mainly
known as:

(i) Charging (ii) Discharging

e  e
R R

A A    
V0 C V0 B C
B  

switch, S e  switch, S e

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Charging a capacitor through a resistor

e
R
A      
V0 B  
C

switch, S e

o When switch S is closed, current I0 immediately begins

to flow through the circuit.
o Electrons will flow out from the negative terminal of the
battery and accumulate on the plate B of the capacitor.
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o Then electrons will flow into the positive terminal
of the battery through the resistor R , leaving a
positive charges on the plate A.
o As charges accumulate on the capacitor, the
potential difference across it increases and the
current is reduced until eventually the maximum
voltage across the capacitor equals the voltage
supplied by the battery, V0.
o At this time, no further current flows (I = 0)
through the resistor R and the charge Q on the
capacitor thus increases gradually and reaches a
maximum value Q0
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 Q I

Q0
I0
0.63Q0
0.37 I 0

0 τ  RC time , t
0 τ  RC time , t
The charge on the The current through the
capacitor increases with resistor decreases
time. exponentially with time.
where t
 t
 Q : Final charge 
Q  Q0 1 

e RC  Initial charge I  I 0e RC
  I : Final current
 
Initial current
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Discharging a capacitor through a resistor
e
R

A   
V0 C
B 

switch, S e

o When switch S is closed, electrons from plate B begin to

flow through the resistor R and neutralizes positive
charges at plate A.
o Initially, the potential difference (voltage) across the
capacitor is maximum, V0 and then a maximum current
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I0 flows through the resistor R.
o When part of the positive charges on plate A is
neutralized by the electrons, the voltage across the
capacitor is reduced.
o The process continues until the current through the
resistor is zero.
o At this moment, all the charges at plate A is fully
neutralized and the voltage across the capacitor
becomes zero.

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 Q I

Q0 I0

0.37Q0 0.37
0 time , t
0 τ  RC time , t τ  RC

The charge on the capacitor The current through the resistor

decreases exponentially with decreases exponentially with
time. time.

t t
 
Q  Q0 e RC
I  I 0e RC

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 2.3 Capacitors with dielectrics
Capacitance of Parallel plate capacitor

Air filled parallel plate capacitor

𝜺o 𝑨
𝑪 o=
𝒅
where
: capacitance of air filled
capacitor
εo : permittivity of free space
(8.8510-12 F m-1)
A : area of the plate
d : plates separation 23
Parallel plate capacitor with dielectric

where
C : capacitance with dielectric
εo : permittivity of free space
(8.8510-12 F m-1)
: dielectric constant
A : area of the plate
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d : plates separation
o Capacitance, C of a parallel-plate capacitor is
 proportional to the area, A of its plates
( )
 inversely proportional to the plate separation, d
()

 depends on type of dielectric insert between

two plates ( )

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Dielectric
o is defined as a non-conducting (insulating)
material placed between the plates of a
capacitor.
o When a dielectric (such as rubber, glass or
waxed paper) is inserted between the plates of
a capacitor, the capacitance increases by a
factor which is called the dielectric constant
(relative permittivity) of the material.

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Dielectric constant,
o is defined as ratio of permittivity of dielectric
material, and permittivity of free space,
ε C V0 E 0
εr    
ε0 C0 V E
where
: capacitance with dielectric
: capacitance of air filled (vacuum)
: voltage across capacitor with dielectric
: voltage across air filled (vacuum) capacitor
: electric field strength of capacitor with dielectric
: electric field strength of air filled (vacuum) capacitor 28
o εr is dimensionless (no unit) and is greater than 1.

o Different insulating material has different value of εr

Material Dielectric constant,

Vacuum 1.0
Air 1.00059
Teflon 2.1
Silicone oil 2.5
Paper 3.7
Ruby Mica 5.6
Water 80.4

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How dielectric
increase the
capacitance

Q Eo Q

o As battery is
removed, charge, Q
on the plates
remains constant.
o Electric field
between the plates
is Eo.
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 o From
As E decrease, V decrease
o Dielectric is o From
placed
As V decrease, C increase
between the
Q Q plates, the E  Eo
dipoles orient  Q Q
themselves
o A `reverse`
electric field,
𝑬𝒅
is created.
o )
o Electric field
E is reduced.
𝑬𝟎
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 o E decreases, so does
For the case V. But because the
battery battery remains
remain connected, charges
connected are able to flow to
capacitor until
VC = Vo
dielectric
o Since V remains
constant,
capacitance, C
increases.
Battery, Capacitor
V0 o From Q = CV, so
charge, Q
increases. 32
 What happen to a capacitor
when…

Battery is Battery still

disconnected connected

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