Capacitance Review

and
Capacitors with Dielectrics
 Forming a Capacitor
Any two conducting electrodes can
form a capacitor, regardless of their shape.

Q
C≡
∆VC
The capacitance depends only on the geometry of the electrodes, not on their
present charge or potential difference.

(In fact, one of the electrodes can be moved to infinity, so the capacitance of a single
electrode is a meaningful concept.)

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 Capacitors and Capacitance
Initial: ∆VC = 0, ∆Vw1 = ∆Vw2 = 12 ∆Vbat .

Final: ∆Vbat = ∆VC = Ed , ∆Vw1 = ∆Vw2 = 0.

Q
E= Units: 1 farad = 1 F ≡ 1 C/V
ε0 A
 ε0 A 
Q = ε 0 AE =   ∆VC
Q
 d 
ε0 A Q = C ∆VC
C≡ =
∆VC d
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 P
Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor
S
The plates have area A and are separated
by a distance d . The upper plate has a
n̂
charge + q and the lower plate a charge - q
N

We apply Gauss' law using the Gaussian surface S shown in the figure.
The electric flux Φ = EA cos 0 = EA.
q q q
From Gauss' law we have: Φ = → EA = → E =
εo εo Aε o
The potential difference V between the positive and the negative plate is
+ +
qd
given by: V = ∫ Eds cos 0 =E ∫ ds =Ed =
− −
Aε o
q q Aε
The capacitance C = =
V qd / Aε o
= o Aε o
d C=
d 4
Example: A Spherical Capacitor

A metal sphere of radius R1 is inside and

concentric with a hollow metal sphere of
inner radius R2.
What is capacitance of this spherical capacitor?

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Example: A Spherical Capacitor

A metal sphere of radius R1 is inside and

concentric with a hollow metal sphere of
inner radius R2.
What is capacitance of this spherical capacitor?

sf

∆V = V ( s f ) − V ( si ) = − ∫ Es ds
si

Q  1 1 
R2
1 Q
∆VC = ∫
4πε 0 R 1 r 2
ds =  − 
4πε 0  R1 R2 
−1
Q 1 1  RR
C= = 4πε 0  −  = 4πε 0 1 2
∆VC  R1 R2  R2 − R1

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 Combining Capacitors
Parallel: Same ∆V, but different Qs.

Q Q + Q2 + Q3 + L
Cparallel = = 1
∆VC ∆VC
= C1 + C2 + C3 + L

Series: Same Q, but different ∆Vs.

Q Q
Cseries = =
∆VC ∆V1 + ∆V2 + ∆V3 + L
1
=
( ∆V1 / Q ) + ( ∆V2 / Q ) + ( ∆V3 / Q ) + L
1
= ≡ C1 || C2 || C3 || L
1/ C1 + 1/ C2 + 1/ C3 + L

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Energy Stored in a Capacitor

1
∆U = dq∆V = qdq
C
Q 2
1 Q
U C = ∫ qdq = 12
C0 C
2
Q
U C = 12 = 12 C ∆VC 2
C

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 Dielectric Materials
There is a class of polarizable dielectric materials that
have an important application in the construction of Q κε 0 A
C≡ =
capacitors. In an electric field their tiny dipoles line up,
reducing the E field and potential difference and
∆VC d
increasing the capacitance:

E off E on

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 Electric Fields and Dielectrics

In an external field Eo, neutral molecules can polarize. The induced electric field E′
produced by the dipoles will be in the opposite direction from the external field Eo.
Therefore, in the interior of the slab the resulting field is E = Eo-E′.
The polarization of the material has the net effect of producing a sheet of positive charge
on the right surface and a sheet of negative charge on the left surface, with E′ being the field
made by these sheets of charge. 10
 Capacitors and Dielectrics
If a capacitor connected to a battery, so that it has a charge
q, and then a dielectric material of dielectric constant κ is
placed in the gap, the potential is unchanged but the charge
becomes κq.

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 Capacitors and Dielectrics
If a capacitor is given a charge q, and then a dielectric
material of dielectric constant κ is placed in the gap, the charge
q is unchanged, but the potential drops to V/κ.

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 C = κ Cair
Capacitor with a dielectric
q
In 1837 Michael Faraday investigated what happens to the
V
-q capacitance C of a capacitor when the gap between the plates
is completely filled with an insulator (a.k.a. dielectric)
q' Faraday discovered that the new capacitance is given by :
V
C = κ Cair Here Cair is the capacitance before the insertion
-q' of the dielectric between the plates. The factor κ is known
as the dielectric constant of the material.
Faraday's experiment can be carried out in two ways:
q V 1. With the voltage V across the plates remaining constant
In this case a battery remains connected to the plates .
-q
This is shown in fig.a
V'
2. With the charge q of the plates remaining constant.
q In this case the plates are isolated from the battery
-q This is shown in fig.b

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C = κ Cair

Fig.a : Capacitor voltage V remains constant

This is bacause the battery remains connected to the plates
After the dielectric is inserted between the capacitor plates
the plate charge changes from q to q′ = κ q
q′ κq q
The new capacitance C = = = κ = κCair
V V V

Fig.b : Capacitor charge q remains constant

This is bacause the plates are isolated
After the dielectric is inserted between the capacitor plates
V
the plate voltage changes from V to V ′ =
κ
q q q
The new capacitance C = = = κ = κ Cair
V′ V /κ V
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A capacitor has a capacitance of 5 x 10-6 F. If silicon
(κ = 12) is inserted and fills the region between the
plates, find the new capacitance of the capacitor.

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 In a region completely filled with an insulator of
dielectric constant κ , all electrostatic equations
containing the constant ε o are to be modified by
q
replacing ε o with κε o

Example 1 : Electric field of a point charge inside

1 q
a dielectric: E =
4πκε o r 2

conductor dielectric Example 2 :

The electric field outside an isolated conductor
immersed in a dielectric becomes:
σ
E=
κε o

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Relationship Between Induced
Charge and Dielectric Constant

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