Ninevah University Electromagnetic Fields

Electronics Engineering Collage Subject: Capacitance

Communication Department 2020 2nd semester

Capacitance
Capacitance is defined as the ratio between charge and potential; that is,
it indicates the amount of charge a body can store for a given, applied
potential. Using this definition, anybody has a certain capacitance, but, as
we shall see, even though capacitance relates charge and potential, the
capacitance itself is independent of charge or potential; it is a function of
body dimensions and material properties. Any device which has
capacitance may be called a capacitor. The general definition of
capacitance is:
𝑄
𝐶= 𝐹𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝑉𝑜

In general term, we determine Q by a surface integral over the positive

conductor, and we find V by carrying a unit positive charge from the
negative to the positive surface.

⃗ . ⃗⃗⃗⃗
∮𝑠 𝐷 𝑑𝑠
𝐶= + 𝐹𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑
− ∫ 𝐸⃗ . ⃗⃗⃗
−
𝑑𝑙
There are many example and types of capacitance, so we study:
1- Two parallel plate capacitor:

Now to find the capacitance of two parallel plates if (+Q) placed on the
upper plate and (-Q) on the lower plate.

+Q

-Q

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 Ninevah University Electromagnetic Fields
Electronics Engineering Collage Subject: Capacitance
Communication Department 2020 2nd semester

𝑄
𝐶= +
− ∫ 𝐸⃗ . ⃗⃗⃗
−
𝑑𝑙
The Electric filed E for two infinite plate were founded in previous
lecture.
𝜌𝑠
𝐸⃗ = − 𝑎𝑧
𝜖
𝑑 𝜌𝑠 𝜌𝑠 𝑑
𝑉𝑜 = − ∫0 − 𝑎𝑧 . 𝑑𝑧𝑎𝑧 =
𝜖 𝜖
𝑄
While 𝜌𝑠 = ,
𝐴

𝑄𝑑
𝑉𝑜 = 𝜖𝐴
Where A or S is Area surface of plate, d is space between two plate.

𝑄
𝐶=
𝑄𝑑
𝜖𝐴

𝜖𝐴
𝐶=
𝑑

Example: Calculate the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor

having a mica dielectric 𝜖𝑟 = 6 , a plate Area of 1.5 cm2, and a separation
of 1 mm.

𝜖𝑜 𝜖𝑟 𝐴 6∗8.854∗10−12 ∗1.5∗10−4
𝐶= 𝑑
=
1∗10−3
≅ 8 𝑝𝐹

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Ninevah University Electromagnetic Fields
Electronics Engineering Collage Subject: Capacitance
Communication Department 2020 2nd semester

2- Two parallel plate capacitor filled with two parallel

different dielectric:
Now if we suppose that the capacitance as shown in the figure
below, what is the capacitance?

A1 A2

Vo d 𝜖𝑟1 𝜖𝑟2

𝑉𝑜 = 𝐸1 𝑑 = 𝐸2 𝑑
𝐸1 = 𝐸2 = 𝐸𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐
∴ 𝑉𝑜 = 𝐸𝑜 𝑑
𝑄1 𝐷1 𝑄1
𝐷1 = 𝜌𝑠1 = , 𝐸1 = =
𝐴1 𝜖1 𝜖1 𝐴1
∴ 𝑄1 = 𝐸1 𝜖1 𝐴1 = 𝐸𝑜 𝜖1 𝐴1
𝑄2 𝐷2 𝑄2
𝐷2 = 𝜌𝑠2 = , 𝐸2 = =
𝐴2 𝜖2 𝜖2 𝐴2
∴ 𝑄2 = 𝐸2 𝜖2 𝐴2 = 𝐸𝑜 𝜖2 𝐴2
𝑄 = 𝑄1 + 𝑄2
𝑄 𝑄1 + 𝑄2 𝐸𝑜 𝜖1 𝐴1 + 𝐸𝑜 𝜖2 𝐴2
𝐶= = =
𝑉𝑜 𝑉𝑜 𝐸𝑜 𝑑
𝜖1 𝐴1 + 𝜖2 𝐴2
𝐶= =
𝑑

𝜖1 𝐴1 𝜖2 𝐴2
𝐶= + = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2
𝑑 𝑑
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Ninevah University Electromagnetic Fields
Electronics Engineering Collage Subject: Capacitance
Communication Department 2020 2nd semester

3- Two parallel plate capacitor filled with two series

different dielectric:
Now if we suppose that the capacitance as shown in the figure
below, what is the capacitance?

A
d1 𝜖𝑟1
Vo
d2 𝜖𝑟2

𝑉𝑜 = 𝐸1 𝑑1 + 𝐸2 𝑑2
𝐷𝑛1 = 𝐷𝑛2 𝑜𝑟 𝐸1 𝜖1 = 𝐸2 𝜖2
𝜖1
∴ 𝐸2 = 𝐸1
𝜖2
𝜖1
𝑉𝑜 = 𝐸1 𝑑1 + 𝐸1 𝑑2
𝜖2
𝑉𝑜
𝐸1 = 𝜖
𝑑1 + 1 𝑑2
𝜖2
𝑉𝑜
𝐷1 = 𝜌𝑠1 = 𝜖1 𝐸1 =
𝑑1 𝑑2
+
𝜖1 𝜖2
𝑉𝑜
𝐴
𝑑1 𝑑2
𝑄 𝜌𝑠1 𝐴 𝜖1 + 𝜖2 𝐴 1
𝐶= = = = =
𝑉𝑜 𝑉𝑜 𝑉𝑜 𝑑1 𝑑2 𝑑1 𝑑
+ + 2
𝜖1 𝜖2 𝐴𝜖1 𝐴𝜖2
1
𝐶= , 1 1 1
1 1
+ ∴ = +
𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶 𝐶1 𝐶2

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Ninevah University Electromagnetic Fields
Electronics Engineering Collage Subject: Capacitance
Communication Department 2020 2nd semester

4- Cylindrical Capacitor:
Now if we have cylindrical capacitor with two radius a, b, as
shown in figure below, so how we can find C value.
𝑄 𝑄
𝐶= =
𝑉𝑜 − ∫+ 𝐸⃗ . 𝑑𝑙
⃗⃗⃗
−
The electric filed intensity E of cylindrical is: a
𝜌𝑙
𝐸⃗ = 𝑎𝑅
2𝜋𝜖𝑅 𝜖𝑟
+ b
⃗⃗⃗
⃗ . 𝑑𝑙
𝑉𝑜 = − ∫ 𝐸
−
𝑅=𝑎 𝜌𝑙
= −∫ 𝑎𝑅 . 𝑑𝑅 𝑎𝑅 L
𝑅=𝑏 2𝜋𝜖𝑅
𝜌𝑙 𝑅=𝑎 𝑑𝑅
=− ∫
2𝜋𝜖 𝑅=𝑏 𝑅
𝜌𝑙 𝑏
𝑉𝑜 = ln ( )
2𝜋𝜖 𝑎
Also 𝑄 = 𝜌𝑙 ∗ 𝐿
𝑄 𝜌 ∗𝐿
𝐶= = 𝜌 𝑙
𝑉𝑜 𝑙 ln (𝑏 )
2𝜋𝜖 𝑎
2𝜋𝜖 ∗ 𝐿
∴𝐶=
𝑏
ln ( )
𝑎

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Ninevah University Electromagnetic Fields
Electronics Engineering Collage Subject: Capacitance
Communication Department 2020 2nd semester

Example: Determine the capacitance of each of the capacitors in

Figure below. Take 𝜖𝑟1= 4, 𝜖𝑟2 = 6, d = 5 mm, A = 30 cm2.

1- The capacitance of capacitor in figure a is:

1 1 1 1 1
= + = +
𝐶 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝜖1 𝐴 𝜖2 𝐴
𝑑1 𝑑2
1 1 1
= −12 −4 + −12
𝐶 8.854 ∗ 10 ∗ 4 ∗ 30 ∗ 10 8.854 ∗ 10 ∗ 6 ∗ 30 ∗ 10−4
5 ∗ 10 −3 5 ∗ 10−3
2 2
𝐶 = 25.4 𝑝𝐹
2- The capacitance of capacitor in figure b is:
𝜖1 𝐴1 𝜖2 𝐴2 𝐴
𝐶 = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 = + , 𝐴1 = 𝐴2 =
𝑑 𝑑 2
8.854 ∗ 10−12 ∗ 4 ∗ 15 ∗ 10−4 8.854 ∗ 10−12 ∗ 6 ∗ 15 ∗ 10−4
𝐶= +
5 ∗ 10−3 5 ∗ 10−3
∴ 𝐶 = 26.5 𝑝𝐹

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 Ninevah University Electromagnetic Fields
Electronics Engineering Collage Subject: Capacitance
Communication Department 2020 2nd semester

Example: A cylindrical capacitor has radii a = 1 cm and b = 2.5 cm. If

the space between the plates is filled with an inhomogeneous dielectric
with 𝜖𝑟 = 7 , find the capacitance per meter of the capacitor.

2𝜋𝜖 ∗ 𝐿
𝐶=
𝑏
ln ( )
𝑎
Thus the capacitance per meter is (L = 1 m).
10 −9
2𝜋 ∗ ∗7∗1
𝐶= 36𝜋 = 424.4 𝑝𝐹/𝑚
2.5
ln ( )
1

HW1: A cylindrical capacitor has radii a = 1 cm and b = 2.5 cm. If the

space between the plates is filled with an inhomogeneous dielectric with
𝜖𝑟 = (10 + r)/r, where r is in centimeters, find the capacitance per meter of
the capacitor.
HW2: The parallel-plate capacitor of quarter-filled with mica (𝜖𝑟 = 6)
and the other area is air space. Find the capacitance of the capacitor for
below figure.