Your Comments
This stuff was so difficult in high school, but after Gauss, it makes me feel warm and cozy
inside.
I don't normally comment on these (actually, this is my first time), however, I would like to ask
something. Can you please remind people not to talk during lecture? Last lecture, you made a
joke about people wanting to sleep during lecture and therefore we needed to be quiet.
Ironically, that was that was the first lecture that I flat out could not hear what you were saying. I
think that you need to perhaps be a little bit more forceful for those who do not take a hint.
Im fine with packing the capacitors together in the diagrams, but for some reason I lose you
when you unpack them.... is there a strategy to that??
Why is that prelecture questions and checkpoints questions, as well as some questions in
lectures are easy and understandable. But when it comes to homework,I find I can do
nothing. Where can I ask for help about this?
Is there any possibility on extending the homework deadline due to the fact that next week is
an exam week? (211 homework was extended) Please and Thank you! It'd be greatly
appreciated.
Being an ECE major, i'm loving the whole series and parallel thing.
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 1
Exam Logistics
1) EXAM 1: WED February 13th at 7pm
Sign Up in Gradebook for Conflict Exam at 5:15pm if desired
If you have double conflict please email Prof. Aksimentiev
MATERIAL: Lectures 1 - 8
2) EXAM 1 PREPARATION
Old Exams are a good way to assess what you need to know
Prelecture of Tim solving exam from Fall 2010 available
3) Extra Office Hours (Tuesday/ Wednesday next week in 276 Loomis)
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 7, Slide 2
Physics 212
Lecture 8
Today’s Concept:
Capacitors
(Capacitors in a circuits, Dielectrics, Energy in capacitors)
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 3
Simple Capacitor Circuit
V C V
C Q = VC
Q
This “Q” really means that the battery has
moved charge Q from one plate to the other,
so that one plate holds +Q and the other -Q.
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 4
Parallel Capacitor Circuit
Qtotal
C1 C2
V
Q1 = C1V Q2 = C2V
Qtotal
Key point: V is the same for both capacitors
Key Point: Qtotal = Q1 + Q2 = VC1 + VC2 = V(C1 + C2)
Ctotal = C1 + C2
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 5
Series Capacitor Circuit
Q Q = VCtotal
C1
V1
V Q V
C2
V2
Q
Key point: Q is the same for both capacitors
Key point: Q = VCtotal = V1C1 = V2C2
Also: V = V1 + V2 Q/Ctotal = Q/C1 + Q/C2
1 1 1
= +
Ctotal C1 C2
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 6
CheckPoint 1
Which has lowest total capacitance:
B C
A
C
C C C
C
1/Ctotal = 1/C + 1/C
= 2/C
Ctotal = C/2
Ctotal = C Ctotal = 2C
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 7
CheckPoint 2
Which has lowest total capacitance?
A) Single Capacitor B) 4 Capacitors C) Same
:
C C
C
C C
Cleft = C/2 Cright = C/2
Ctotal = C
Ctotal = Cleft + Cright
Ctotal = C
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 8
Similar to CheckPoint 3
Q2
C2
V0
V2
C1 C3
V1 Q1 V3 Q3
Ctotal
Which of the following is NOT necessarily true:
A) V0 = V1
B) Ctotal > C1
C) V2 = V3
D) Q2 = Q3
E) V1 = V2 + V3
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 9
CheckPoint 3
A circuit consists of three unequal capacitors C1, C2, and C3 which are connected to a battery of
voltage V0. The capacitance of C2 is twice that of C1. The capacitance of C3 is three times that of
C1. The capacitors obtain charges Q1, Q2, and Q3.
Compare Q1, Q2, and Q3.
X X
A. Q1 > Q3 > Q2 B. Q1 > Q2 > Q3 C. Q1 > Q2 = Q3 D. Q1 = Q2 = Q3 E. Q1 < Q2 = Q3
1. See immediately: Q2 = Q3 (capacitors in series)
2. How about Q1 vs. Q2 and Q3? Calculate C23 first.
Q1 = CV
1 0
1 1 1 1 1 5 6
= + = + = C23 = C1 6
C23 C2 C3 2C1 3C1 6C1 5 Q23 = Q2 = Q3 = C23V0 = CV
1 0
5
25
Energy in a Capacitor
In Prelecture 7 we calculated the work done to move charge Q from one plate to
another:
C +Q
V U = 1/2QV
= 1/2CV2
Since Q = VC
-Q
= 1/2Q2/C
This is potential energy waiting to be used…
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 11
Dielectrics
C0 C1 = k C0
V Q0 = VC0 V Q1 = VC1
By adding a dielectric you are just making a
new capacitor with larger capacitance (factor of k)
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 12
Messing with Capacitors
If connected to a battery V stays constant
V1 = V
Q1 = C1V1
C1 = k C
V
= k CV = k Q
If isolated then total Q stays constant
Q1 = Q
V1 = Q1/C1
C1 = k C
= Q/k C = V /k
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 13
CheckPoint 4a
Two identical parallel plate capacitors are given the same charge Q, after which
they are disconnected from the battery. Then, a dielectric is placed between the
plates of C2
A B C
“Q1=Q2, but C2>C1”
“The dielectric was added once the V had already been
established, so it does nothing. ”
“Dieletrics give higher capacitance, with the same Q this
means higher V.
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 14
Messing with Capacitors Clicker Question
Two identical parallel plate capacitors are connected to identical batteries. Then a
dielectric is inserted between the plates of capacitor C1. Compare the energy
stored in the two capacitors.
C0 C1
V V
A) U1 < U0 B) U0 = U1 C) U1 > U0
Compare using U = 1/2CV2
U1/U0 = k
Potential Energy goes UP
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 15
CheckPoint 4b
Two identical parallel plate capacitors are given the same charge Q, after which
they are disconnected from the battery. Then, a dielectric is placed between the
plates of C2
A) B) C)
U=QV/2 and since charge is the same but voltage is lower in
case 2, U2 is lower.
Since a battery isn't attached the potential energy will stay the
same.
dielectrics increase C which in turn increases U
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 16
CheckPoint 4c
Two identical parallel plate capacitors are given the same charge Q, after which they are
disconnected from the battery. After C2 has been charged and disconnected, it is filled with a
dielectric. The two capacitors are now connected to each other by wires as shown. How will
the charge redistribute itself, if at all?
A. The charges will flow so that the charge on C1 will become equal to the charge on C2.
B. The charges will flow so that the energy stored in C1 will become equal to the energy stored in
C2.
C. The charges will flow so that the potential difference across C1 will become the same as the
potential difference across C2.
D. No charges will flow. The charge on the capacitors will remain what it was before they were
connected.
V must be the same !!
Q: Q1 Q2
=
C
Q1 = 1 Q2
C1 C2 C2
U: U = 1 CV 2
C1
1 2 1
U1 = U2
U2 = 12 C2V 2 C2
Calculation
C0 An air-gap capacitor,
V V having capacitance C0 and
x0 k width x0 is connected to a
battery of voltage V.
x0/4
A dielectric (k ) of width
x0/4 is inserted into the gap
as shown.
What is Qf, the final charge
Conceptual Analysis: on the capacitor?
Q
C
V
What changes when the dielectric added?
A) Only C B) only Q C) only V D) C and Q E) V and Q
Adding dielectric changes the physical capacitor C changes
V does not change and C changes Q changes
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 18
Calculation
C0 An air-gap capacitor,
V V having capacitance C0 and
x0 k width x0 is connected to a
battery of voltage V.
x0/4
A dielectric (k ) of width
x0/4 is inserted into the gap
as shown.
Strategic Analysis:
– Calculate new capacitance C What is Qf, the final charge
on the capacitor?
– Apply definition of capacitance to determine Q
To calculate C, let’s first look at:
Vleft k Vright
A) Vleft < Vright B) Vleft = Vright C) Vleft > Vright
The conducting plate is an equipotential !
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 19
Calculation
An air-gap capacitor, having
capacitance C0 and width x0
C0 V is connected to a battery of
V voltage V.
x0 k
A dielectric (k ) of width x /4
x0/4 is inserted into the gap as 0
shown.
What is Qf, the final charge
on the capacitor?
Can consider capacitor to be two capacitances, C1 and C2, in parallel
C1 C2
k = k
What is C1 ?
A) C1 = C0 B) C1 = 3/4C0 C) C1 = 4/3C0 D) C1 = 1/4C0
In general. For parallel plate capacitor: C = e0A/d
A = 3/4A0
C1 = 3/4 (e0A0/d0) C 1 = 3 /4 C 0
d = d0
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 20
Calculation
An air-gap capacitor, having
capacitance C0 and width x0
C0 V is connected to a battery of
V voltage V.
x0 k
A dielectric (k ) of width x /4
x0/4 is inserted into the gap as 0
shown.
What is Qf, the final charge
C1 C2 on the capacitor?
k = k C1 = 3/4C0
What is C2 ?
A) C2 = k C0 B) C2 = 3/4 k C0 C) C2 = 4/3 k C0 D) C2 = 1/4 k C0
In general. For parallel plate capacitor filled with dielectric: C = ke0 A/d
A = 1/4A0
C = ¼(ke0 A0/d0) C2 = 1/4 k C0
d = d0
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 21
Calculation
An air-gap capacitor, having
capacitance C0 and width x0
C0 V is connected to a battery of
V voltage V.
x0 k
A dielectric (k ) of width x /4
x0/4 is inserted into the gap as 0
shown.
What is Qf, the final charge
C C1 C2 on the capacitor?
k = k C 1 = 3 /4 C 0 C 2 = 1 /4 k C 0
What is C? -1
1 1
A) C = C1 + C2 B) C = C1 + k C2 C) C =
C + C
1 2
C = parallel combination of C1 and C2: C = C1 + C2
C = C0 (3/4 + 1/4 k)
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 22
Calculation
An air-gap capacitor, having
capacitance C0 and width x0
C0 V is connected to a battery of
V voltage V.
x0 k
A dielectric (k ) of width x /4
x0/4 is inserted into the gap as 0
shown.
What is Qf, the final charge
C C1 C2 on the capacitor?
k = k C 1 = 3 /4 C 0 C 2 = 1 /4 k C 0
C = C0 (3/4 + 1/4 k)
What is Q?
Q
C Q = VC
V
3 1
Q f = VC0 + k
4 4
Electricity & Magnetism Lecture 8, Slide 23
