Capacitor

Capacitor is a device for storing electric charge. It consists of a pair of conductors carrying equal
and opposite charges (generally). Magnitude of this charge is known as the charge on the
capacitor. Potential difference (V) between the two conductors (known as the potential across the
capacitor) is proportional to the charge on the capacitor (Q).
QV
Q = CV
Here the proportionality constant C is known as the capacitance of the capacitor. The value of
capacitance depends on the geometry of the two conductors, their relative position and the
medium between them.

Parallel plate capacitor:

(i) Electric field between the plates :

Electric field due to the positive plate,

(ii) P.d across the plates

(iv) Force acting between the plates = (Charge on one plate) x (Electric field due to the other
plate)

Energy stored in a capacitor

(v) Energy stored in a capacitor (U) = Amount of work done in charging the capacitor from
initial uncharged state to the given charge state.
For a parallel plate capacitor it is the work done in increasing the separation of the charged plates
from zero to d.

The capacitance of a system of two co-axial conducting, hollow cylinders of radius R1 and
R2and length l , (l >> R1 , R2) can be found out as follows.

Applying Gauss law on a cylinder of radius r.

E (2rl) = l /o

The capacitance of a system of two concentric conducting spherical shells of radii R1 and
R2can be found out as follows.
Applying Gausss law on a concentric sphere of radius r

Exercise : Three identical metallic plates are kept parallel to one another at separations a & b as
shown in figure. The outer plates are connected by a thin conducting wire and a charge Q is
placed on the central plate. Find the charge on all the six surfaces.

Combination of capacitors
(i) Series combination:

Capacitors connected as shown in the figure are said to be connected in series. In series
combination the charges on individual capacitors are equal and the total p.d. across the
combination is to shared by the capacitors
i.e. Q = C1 V1 = C2 V2 = C3 V3

and V = V1 + V2 + V3 +
Effective capacitance of the combination C can be found from the relation

(ii) Parallel combination

In this combination p.d. across each of the capacitors is the same but the charge supplied at
points A and B is shared by the capacitors

and total charge

Q = Q1 + Q2 + Q3 +
Thus C = C1 + C2 + C3 +
Problems On Combination of capacitors

Example : Find the equivalent capacitance between points A and B of the circuit shown, each
capacitance = C.

Solution : By symmetry, the points D, E and F are at the same potentials, hence the given circuit
is equivalent to figure (ii) the equivalent capacitance = 2C
Exercise : Find the equivalent capacitance between points A and B. Capacitance of each
capacitor is 2F.

Exercise : Four identical metal plates are placed in air parallel to each other with distances d
from one another. The area of each plate is equal to A. The arrangement is shown in the figure.
Find the capacitance of the system between plates P and R.

Solution : In order to find the equivalent capacitance between two given plates, we can connect
a battery across them and then find the charge distribution on the surfaces of each plate using
Gauss theorem or the concept :
Net electric field in a conductor is always zero.

Let the plates P and R have the potential V and 0 respectively and the plates 1 and 4 are at the
potential V1. Charge distribution is shown in the figure.
q1 = C(V V1) from (4, 3) . . . (1)
q2 = CV from (3, 2) . . . (2)

q1 = CV1 from (2, 1) . . . (3)

From equation (1) and (2)
q1 = CV/2 . . . (4)
Charge supplied by the battery is
Q = q1 + q2 = (3/2)CV using (2) and (4)
=> CV = (2/3)Q . . . (5)
If equivalent capacitance be C then CV = Q . . . (6)
Dividing (5) by (6)

Exercise : Two concentric shells of radii R and 2R are shown in the figure. Initially a charge q is
imparted to the inner shell. After the keys K1 & K2 are alternately closed n times each , find the
potential difference between the shells.

Plate Capacitor with Different Charges

Two identical plates of parallel plate capacitor are given unequal charges Q1 and Q2 . Let the
charge appearing on the inner surface be +q and -q, then the charges appearing on outer surfaces
are as shown in the figure. If we take a point P inside the plate 1, then electric field at P should be
zero. Suppose surface area of the each surface is A.
Using the equation E = /2o

Where E1 , E2 , E3 , E4 are the electric fields due to surfaces 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the inner point
P

But = 0 , which gives, q = (Q1 Q2)/2

Hence, charge distribution on each surfaces are shown in figure
Note:
The charge on inner surface of plate A is the half of the difference of the charge on plate A and B
(Q1 and Q2 respectively) i.e. (Q1 Q2)/2 , and on inner surface of B is opposite of the charge
appearing on inner surface of A i.e. -(Q1 Q2)/2 ; while the charge on outer surfaces of A and B
is half of the sum of charge on A and B i.e. (Q1 + Q2)/2
The effect of Dielectrics

In a dielectric material each electron is bound to a particular nucleus. When such a material is
kept between the plates of a charged capacitor, the electron cloud of all the molecules is shifted
towards the positive plate. As a result there is a net induced negative charge on the side of
dielectric closer to the positive plate. And the other side gets equally positively charged. Thus the

net charge in the dielectric is zero and field is thus developed within the dielectric due to such
charge redistribution (or polarisation)

As a result of the induced charges the electric field between the plates (within the dielectric)
reduces from Eo to E. The ratio Eo / E = r is known as the dielectric constant or relative
permittivity of the dielectric material.
P.d across the plates of the capacitor also reduces by a factor of r. Thus the value of capacitance
(Q/V) increases by a factor of r. i.e. C = Cor
An air capacitor of capacitance C, is connected to a battery of emf E. We are interested in finding
the additional charge supplied by the positive terminal of battery if the dielectric slab of
dielectric constant r is introduced between the plates.
Charge supplied by the positive terminal of the battery
= Final charge on the positive plate of capacitor Initial charge on it.

The mechanical work done in pulling the slab out of the capacitor after disconnecting it from the
battery can being found out as follows.
Work done = change in potential energy = U2 U1

= (1/2) E2 C r
Work done = (1/2) r E2C (r 1)

Variable Dielectric Constant

If the dielectric constant is variable, then equivalent capacitance can be obtained by selecting an
element as per the given condition and then integration.
(i) If different elements are in parallel,
then C = dc
Where dc = capacitance of selected differential element.
(ii) If different elements are in series,then

is found out and then equivalent capacitance C.

Energy of a Charged Conductor or Capacitor

If C is the capacitance of a conductor or capacitor and V is the potential of the conductor (P.D. in
case of a capacitor), then the stored electrostatic energy is:

Also, as C=oA/d and V = E.d

If dielectric is introduced then

This energy is stored in a capacitor in the electric field between its plates.

Force b/w the Plates of a Parallel Plate Capacitor

Consider a parallel plate capacitor with plate area A and charge +Q and -Q. The electric field due
to only the positive plates.

The force on the negatively charged plate in the field of positive charge is

Thus the force is attraction and has the magnitude