Electricity & Magnetism

AP-C
Capacitance
Learning Guide
Enduring Understanding
A capacitor is device characterized by its capacity to store an electric charge

Essential Questions
1. How can capacitance be changed?
2. What do all forms of capacitance have in common?
3. What does a dielectric affect?

Readings - https://openstax.org/details/books/university-physics-volume-2
Chapter 8

Vocabulary
Understand and apply the definitions of the following terms.
1. Capacitance 5. Farad, F 8. Parallel
2. Capacitor 6. Free Charge 9. Series
3. Dielectric 7. k
4. Equivalent

Equations
Understand and memorize the equations below along with any equations derived in class.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/Physics_equation_tables.pdf

𝑄
𝐶=
𝑉
𝐴𝜀!
𝐶=
𝑑

𝐶" = ( 𝐶#
#

1 1
=(
𝐶$ 𝐶#
#

1 1
𝑈% = 𝑄𝑉 = 𝐶𝑉 &
2 2
 Learning Targets
Capacitors
1. Students should understand the definition and function of capacitance, so they can:
(A) Relate stored charge and voltage for a capacitor.
(B) Relate voltage, charge and stored energy for a capacitor.
(C) Recognize situations in which energy stored in a capacitor is converted to other forms.
2. Students should understand the physics of the parallel-plate capacitor, so they can:
(A) Describe the electric field inside the capacitor, and relate the strength of this field to the potential
difference between the plates and the plate separation.
(B) Relate the electric field to the density of the charge on the plates.
(C) Derive an expression for the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor.
(D) Determine how changes in dimension will affect the value of the capacitance.
(E) Derive and apply expressions for the energy stored in a parallel-plate capacitor and for the energy
density in the field between the plates.
(F) Analyze situations in which capacitor plates are moved apart or moved closer together, or in which a
conducting slab is inserted between capacitor plates, either with a battery connected between the
plates or with the charge on the plates held fixed.
3. Students should understand cylindrical and spherical capacitors, so they can:
(A) Describe the electric field inside each.
(B) Derive an expression for the capacitance of each.
Dielectrics
4. Students should understand the behavior of dielectrics, so they can:
(A) Describe how the insertion of a dielectric between the plates of a charged parallel-plate capacitor
affects its capacitance and the field strength and voltage between the plates.
(B) Analyze situations in which a dielectric slab is inserted between the plates of a capacitor.
Capacitors in Circuits
5. Students should understand the t = 0 and steady-state behavior of capacitors connected in series or in
parallel, so they can:
(A) Calculate the equivalent capacitance of a series or parallel combination.
(B) Describe how stored charge is divided between capacitors connected in parallel.
(C) Determine the ratio of voltages for capacitors connected in series.
(D) Calculate the voltage or stored charge, under steady-state conditions, for a capacitor connected to a
circuit consisting of a battery and resistors.
© The College Board – Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org

Flowcharts and Help Sheets – www.GravityKills.net

 AP-C
Electricity & Magnetism
Capacitance
Practice Multiple-Choice Test
Multiple Choice
Select the best answer.

1. The charge on the square plates of a parallel-plate capacitor is Q. The potential across the plates is
maintained with constant voltage by a battery as they are pulled apart to twice their original separation,
which is small compared to the dimensions of the plates. The amount of charge on the plates is now equal
to
a) 4Q
b) 2Q
c) Q
d) Q/2
e) Q/4
2. When two or more capacitors are connected in series across a potential difference
a) the potential difference across the combination is the algebraic sum of the
potential differences across the individual capacitors.
b) each capacitor carries the same amount of charge.
c) the equivalent capacitance of the combination is less than the capacitance of any
of the capacitors.
d) All of the above choices are correct.
e) None of the above choices are correct.

3. In the circuit shown in the figure, the capacitors are initially uncharged. The switch is first thrown to position
A and kept there for a long time. It is then thrown to position B. Let the charges on the capacitors be Q1,
Q2, and Q3 and the potential differences across them be V1, V2, and V3. Which of the following conditions
must be true with the switch in position B?

a) V1 = V2 = V3
b) V1 + V2 = V3
c) V3 = V0
d) Q1 = Q2 = Q3
e) Q1 + Q2 = Q3

4. An ideal parallel-plate capacitor consists of a set of two parallel plates of area A separated by a very small
distance d. When this capacitor is connected to a battery that maintains a constant potential difference
between the plates, the energy stored in the capacitor is U0. If the separation between the plates is
doubled, how much energy is stored in the capacitor?
a) 4U0
b) 2U0
c) U0
d) U0/2
e) U0/4
5. Two capacitors, C1 and C2, are connected in series across a source of potential difference. With the
potential source still connected, a dielectric is now inserted between the plates of capacitor C1. What
happens to the charge on capacitor C2?
a) The charge on C2 increases.
b) The charge on C2 decreases.
c) The charge on C2 remains the same.

6. An ideal parallel-plate capacitor consists of a set of two parallel plates of area A separated by a very small
distance d. When the capacitor plates carry charges +Q and -Q, the capacitor stores energy U0. If the
separation between the plates is doubled, how much electrical energy is stored in the capacitor?
a) 4U0
b) 2U0
c) U0
d) U0/2
e) U0/4

7. A charged capacitor stores energy U. Without connecting this capacitor to anything, dielectric having
dielectric constant K is now inserted between the plates of the capacitor, completely filling the space
between them. How much energy does the capacitor now store?
a) 2KU
b) KU
c) U
d)

e)

8. The capacitors in the network shown in the figure all have a capacitance of 5.0 µF. What is the equivalent
capacitance, Cab, of this capacitor network?

a) 20 µF
b) 3.0 µF
c) 10 µF
d) 5.0 µF
e) µF
9. Three capacitors, with capacitances C1 = 4.0 μF, C2 = 3.0 μF, and C3 = 2.0 μF, are connected to a 12 -V
voltage source, as shown in the figure. What is the charge on capacitor C2?

a) 16 μC
b) 32 μC
c) 2.0 μC
d) 8.0 μC
e) 4.0 μC

10. Five capacitors are connected across a potential difference Vab as shown in the figure. Because of the
dielectrics used, each capacitor will break down if the potential across it exceeds 30.0 V. The largest that
Vab can be without damaging any of the capacitors is closest to

a) 6.0 V.
b) 30 V.
c) 64 V.
d) 150 V.
e) 580 V.

11. The network shown in the figure is assembled with uncharged capacitors X, Y, and Z, with
, and and open switches, S1 and S2. A potential difference Vab = +120 V is
applied between points a and b. After the network is assembled, switch S1 is closed for a long time, but
switch S2 is kept open. Then switch S1 is opened and switch S2 is closed. What is the final voltage across
capacitor X?

a) 94 V
b) 87 V
c) 79 V
d) 71 V
e) 63 V
12. A charge of 2.00 μC flows onto the plates of a capacitor when it is connected to a 12.0-V potential source.
What is the minimum amount of work that must be done in charging this capacitor?
a) 6.00 µJ
b) 24.0 µJ
c) 12.0 µJ
d) 144 µJ
e) 576 µJ
13. A 1.0 μF capacitor has a potential difference of 6.0 V applied across its plates. If the potential difference
across its plates is increased to 8.0 V, how much ADDITIONAL energy does the capacitor store?
a) 14 μJ
b) 28 μJ
c) 2.0 μJ
d) 4.0 μJ

14. A parallel-plate capacitor with plate separation of 1.0 cm has square plates, each with an area of 6.0 × 10-2
m2. What is the capacitance of this capacitor if a dielectric material with a dielectric constant of 2.4 is
placed between the plates, completely filling them? (ε0 = 8.85 × 10-12 C2/Nm2)
a) 15 × 10-12 F
b) 15 × 10-14 F
c) 64 × 10-14 F
d) 1.3 × 10-12 F
e) 1.3 × 10-10 F
15. A 6.0-μF air-filled capacitor is connected across a 100-V voltage source. After the source fully charges the
capacitor, the capacitor is immersed in transformer oil (of dielectric constant 4.5). How much ADDITIONAL
charge flows from the voltage source, which remained connected during the process?
a) 1.2 mC
b) 1.5 mC
c) 1.7 mC
d) 2.1 mC
e) 2.5 mC

16. The electric field between square the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor has magnitude E. The potential
across the plates is maintained with constant voltage by a battery as they are pulled apart to twice their
original separation, which is small compared to the dimensions of the plates. The magnitude of the electric
field between the plates is now equal to
a) 4E.
b) 2E.
c) E.
d) E/2.
e) E/4.

17. When two or more capacitors are connected in parallel across a potential difference
a) the potential difference across each capacitor is the same.
b) each capacitor carries the same amount of charge.
c) the equivalent capacitance of the combination is less than the capacitance of any
of the capacitors.
d) All of the above choices are correct.
e) None of the above choices are correct.
18. An ideal air-filled parallel-plate capacitor has round plates and carries a fixed amount of equal but opposite
charge on its plates. All the geometric parameters of the capacitor (plate diameter and plate separation)
are now DOUBLED. If the original capacitance was C0, what is the new capacitance?
a) 4C0
b) 2C0
c) C0
d) C0/2
e) C0/4

19. An air-filled parallel-plate capacitor is connected to a battery and allowed to charge up. Now a slab of
dielectric material is placed between the plates of the capacitor while the capacitor is still connected to the
battery. After this is done, we find that
a) the energy stored in the capacitor had decreased.
b) the voltage across the capacitor had increased.
c) the charge on the capacitor had increased.
d) the charge on the capacitor had not changed.
e) None of these choices are true.

20. Three capacitors are connected as shown in the figure. What is the equivalent capacitance between points
a and b?

a) 1.7 µF
b) 4.0 µF
c) 7.1 µF
d) 12 µF
e) 8.0 µF

21. A 1.0 μF capacitor has a potential difference of 6.0 V applied across its plates. If the potential difference
across its plates is increased to 8.0 V, how much ADDITIONAL energy does the capacitor store?
a) 14 μJ
b) 28 μJ
c) 2.0 μJ
d) 4.0 μJ

22. A dielectric slab is slowly inserted between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor, while the potential
difference between the plates is held constant by a battery. As it is being inserted:
a) the capacitance, the potential difference between the plates, and the charge on
the positive plate all increase
b) the capacitance, the potential difference between the plates, the charge on the
positive plate all decrease
c) the potential difference between the plates increases, the charge on the positive
plate decreases, and the capacitance remains the same
d) the capacitance and the charge on the positive plate decrease but the potential
difference between the plates remains the same
e) the capacitance and the charge on the plate increase but the potential difference
between the plates remains the same
23. Two parallel-plate capacitors with different capacitance but the same plate separation are connected in
series to a battery. Both capacitors are filled with air. The quantity that is the same for both capacitors
when they are fully charged is:
a) potential difference
b) stored energy
c) energy density
d) electric field between the plates
e) charge on the positive plate

24. Two parallel-plate capacitors with the same plate area but different capacitance are connected in parallel to
a battery. Both capacitors are filled with air. The quantity that is the same for both capacitors when they are
fully charged is:
a) potential difference
b) energy density
c) electric field between the plates
d) charge on the positive plate
e) plate separation

25. The plate areas and plate separations of five parallel plate capacitors are

capacitor 1: area A0, separation d0

capacitor 2: area 2A0, separation 2d0
capacitor 3: area 2A0, separation d0/2
capacitor 4: area A0/2, separation 2d0
capacitor 5: area A0, separation d0/2

Rank these according to their capacitances, least to greatest.

a) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
b) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
c) 5, 3, and 4 tie, then 1, 2
d) 4, 1, and 2 tie, then 5, 3
e) 3, 5, 1 and 2 tie, 1, 4

26. The capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor can be increased by:

a) increasing the charge
b) decreasing the charge
c) increasing the plate separation
d) decreasing the plate separation
e) decreasing the plate area

27. Pulling the plates of an isolated charged capacitor apart:

a) increases the capacitance
b) increases the potential difference
c) does not affect the potential difference
d) decreases the potential difference
e) does not affect the capacitance

28. If the plate separation of an isolated charged parallel-plate capacitor is doubled:

a) the electric field is doubled
b) the potential difference is halved
c) the charge on each plate is halved
d) the surface charge density on each plate is doubled
e) none of the above
29. If the plate area of an isolated charged parallel-plate capacitor is doubled:
a) the electric field is doubled
b) the potential difference is halved
c) the charge on each plate is halved
d) the surface charge density on each plate is doubled
e) none of the above

30. If both the plate area and the plate separation of a parallel-plate capacitor are doubled, the capacitance is:
a) doubled
b) halved
c) unchanged
d) tripled
e) quadrupled

31. A capacitor C "has a charge Q". The actual charges on its plates are:
a) Q, Q
b) Q/2, Q/2
c) Q, –Q
d) Q/2, –Q/2
e) Q, 0

32. A charged capacitor has an initial electric field E0 and potential difference V0 across its plates. Without
connecting any source of emf, you insert a dielectric (k > 1) slab between the plates to produce an electric
field Ed and a potential difference Vd across the capacitor. The pair of statements that best represents the
relationships between the electric fields and potential differences is

a) Ed > E0; Vd > V0

b) Ed = E0; Vd > V0
c) Ed > E0; Vd = V0
d) Ed < E0; Vd > V0
e) Ed < E0; Vd < V0

33. If C1 < C2 < C3 < C4 for the combination of capacitors shown below, the equivalent capacitance

a) is less than C1.

b) is more than C4.
c) is between C2 and C3.
d) is less than C2.
e) could be any value depending on the applied voltage.
34. If C1 < C2 < C3 < C4 for the combination of capacitors shown below, the equivalent capacitance

a) is less than C1.

b) is more than C4.
c) is between C2 and C3.
d) is less than C2.
e) could be any value depending on the applied voltage

35. If you increase the charge on a parallel-plate capacitor from 3 µC to 9 µC and increase the plate
separation from 1 mm to 3 mm, the energy stored in the capacitor changes by a factor of
a) 27
b) 9
c) 3
d) 8
e) 1/3

Answers
1. D 5. A 9. A 13. A 17. A 21. A 25. D 29. B 33. B
2. D 6. B 10. C 14. E 18. B 22. E 26. D 30. C 34. A
3. B 7. D 11. A 15. D 19. C 23. E 27. B 31. C 35. A
4. D 8. B 12. C 16. D 20. A 24. A 28. E 32. E
 Electricity & Magnetism
AP-C
Capacitance
Test and QUEST Breakdown

Test Breakdown QUEST Breakdown

Multiple-Choice Test Circuits #1-27
• 25 AP Level and Style Questions Derivations #28-33
Free Response Test Dielectrics #34-46
• 2-3 Free Response Level and Style Questions

Multiple-Choice Questions
Practice multiple-choice questions with answers are available on the Learning Guide.

Free Response Problems

One or more of the free response problems below, in part or in whole, will be integrate into the Free Response
test. In addition, one or more free response problems will be selected from past AP exam problems, QUEST,
in-class activities or class notes.

Dielectric
A parallel plate capacitor Co with plate area A0 and plate separation do has charge Qo and voltage Vo. A
dielectric, k, is inserted between the plates. How do the following quantities change for cases I and II shown
below? Express all answer in terms of Co, A0, do, Qo, Vo and k.
• charge on the capacitor,
• potential difference across the capacitor,
• the net electric field between the plates of the capacitor
• capacitance of the capacitor, and
• energy stored in the capacitor.

For both cases, draw a qualitative drawing of the electric fields between the plates of the capacitor due to the
free charge and dielectric. Pay particular attention to the number of free charges and number of electric field
lines.
CASE I CASE II
Capacitor is fully charged then the battery is Capacitor is fully charged and the battery remains
DISCONNECTED before the dielectric is inserted. CONNECTED while the dielectric is inserted.

k k
2D Motion
A positively/negatively charged particle, q,
with mass, m, is shot horizontally with a velocity
v0 between two parallel plates connected to a
battery with a potential V. The particle is
deflected upwards/downwards. The plates are
L long and are separated from each other by a
distance d. Ignore gravitational forces.
Express all answers in terms of the given
variables and fundamental constants.
a) Find an expression for the time it takes
for the charged particle to exit the plates.
b) Find an expression for the acceleration of the charged particle while between the plates.
c) Find an expression for the minimum vertical distance from the left end of the attractive plate for the
charged particle to just clear the plates when it exits.
d) Find an expression for the speed of the charged particle when it exits the plates.
e) Draw a sketch of the set up.
i. Identify the sign of the charge on each plate.
ii. Draw the electric field between the plates.
iii. Draw how the battery is wired.
iv. Draw the path of the particle.
f) How would the answers to parts a) through c) change if the space between the plates was filled with a
dielectric gas with a k greater than/less w air? kAIR = 1.00059
g) How would the answers to parts a) through c) change if the charge on the particle was
increased/decreased?

Internet Resource - http://ophysics.com/em6.html

CQVE Chart
The circuit will contain 5-8 capacitors. Complete a CQVE chart.

Derivations – Capacitance
Set Up Description Derivation
A oppositely charge parallel qenclosed
Parallel Plate plates of area A and separated Using ò E • dA = eo
derive the
by a distance d.
Two oppositely charge electric field necessary to calculate the
Cylindrical concentric cylinders of radius electric potential difference using
r1 and r2.
Two oppositely charge
ò
DV = - E • dr . Finally calculate the
capacitance as the ratio of charge to
Spherical concentric spheres of radius r1
and r2. Q
potential difference, C =
Isolated Sphere
A positively charge sphere of DV
radius R.