Grade 12

A Level
Physics

CAPACITANCE
Recall: Electric Field between
Parallel Metal Plates
 Activity:
Human Capacitors
1. What is
represented by the
following:
• red paper
• blue paper
• green paper
2. Does the person
that holds the green
paper need to do
“work” for the
charges to be
separated?
 Physics Today

• define capacitance, as
applied to both isolated
spherical conductors and to
parallel plate capacitors
• recall and use C = Q/V
• derive, using C = Q/V,
formulae for the combined
capacitance of capacitors in
series and parallel
• use the capacitance
formulae for capacitors in
series and in parallel
Handout #5
Capacitance
 Does a capacitor store charge?

A
capacitor
is a device
that stores
energy in
an electric
field.
 Capacitance

The capacitance C of a conductor is defined as the

ratio of the charge Q on the conductor to the
potential V produced.
The capacitance of a capacitor is the charge stored
in one plate per unit of potential difference
between the plates.

Unit:
!
C= Coulombs per volt C V-1
" 1 C V-1 = 1 F (Farad)
 Capacitance in Farads

One farad (F) is the capacitance C of a conductor that holds

one coulomb of charge for each volt of potential.
Q coulomb (C)
C= ; farad (F) =
V volt (V)

Example: When 40 µC of charge are placed on a conducting

sphere, the potential on its surface is 8.0 V. What is the
capacitance of the conducting sphere?

# 40 (!
!= = C = 5.0 µF
$ 8.0 $
What’s inside a
Capacitor?
 Inside a Capacitor

%
! = $! $"
&
 Test Yourself 1

(a) Draw the circuit (b) Derive the

diagram consisting of three equation for
capacitors connected in combined
series and a battery/power capacitors in series.
supply.
 Test Yourself 2

(a) Draw the circuit diagram (b) Derive the

consisting of three capacitors equation for
connected in parallel and a combined
battery/power supply. capacitors in
parallel.
 Test Yourself 3

Answer Question 3 on page 307 of the

textbook.
 Test Yourself 4

The figure on the Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6

right shows three
capacitors
connected in series
with a battery of
emf 1.5 V.
(a) Calculate the charges Q1 to Q6 on each
of the plates.
(b) Calculate the p.d. across each
capacitor.
1 A 30 µF capacitor is connected to a 9.0 V battery.
a Calculate the charge onTest Yourself 5
the capacitor.
b How many excess electrons are there on the negative plate of the capacitor?
2 The p.d. across a capacitor is 3.0 V and the charge on the capacitor is 150 nC.
a Determine the charge on the capacitor when the p.d. is:
i 6.0 V
ii 9.0 V.
b Calculate the capacitance of the capacitor.
3 A 1000 µF capacitor is charged to a potential difference of 9.0 V.
a Calculate the energy stored by the capacitor.
b Determine the energy stored by the capacitor when the p.d. across it is doubled
4 For each circuit below, determine the total capacitance of the circuit.
3 iiii V.9.0
ii 9.0 9.0 V.
V.
A 1000 µF capacitor is charged to a potential difference of 9.0 V.
[2]

Test Yourself 6
b Calculate the capacitance
b Calculate of the capacitor.
the capacitance of the capacitor. [2]
b Calculate the capacitance of the capacitor.
3 a 1000Calculate
A the
µF capacitor energy
is charged to astored
potential by the capacitor.
3 A 1000
3 µF capacitor is charged to a difference of 9.0 V. of 9.0 V.
potential difference
A 1000 µF capacitor is charged to a potential difference of 9.0 V.
ab Calculate
Determine thestored
the energy energy
by thestored by the capacitor when the p.d.
capacitor. across
[2] it is do
aa Calculate
Calculate the
b Determine
the energystored
the energyenergy
storedbybythe
thecapacitor.
stored by the capacitor
capacitor.
when the p.d. across it is doubled. [2]
4 Forbbeach
Determine the
circuitthe
Determine energystored
below,
energy storedby
bythe
determine thecapacitor
capacitor
the when
totalwhen thep.d.
p.d.across
capacitance
the acrossititisisdoubled.
of the doubled.
circuit.
4 For each circuit below, determine the total capacitance of the circuit. [13]
4 For each
For each circuit
circuit below,
below,determine
determinethe
thetotal
totalcapacitance
capacitanceofofthe
thecircuit.
circuit.

5 The diagram shows an electrical circuit.

55 The
The diagram
diagram shows
shows an
anelectrical
electricalcircuit.
circuit.
w, determine
rmine thestored
totalbycapacitance
the capacitorof thethe
circuit. [13]
A 1000 µF capacitor is charged to a potential difference of 9.0 V. [2]
the energy when p.d. across it is doubled.

Calculate the energyTest

storedYourself 7
circuit below, determine the total capacitance of the circuit.
a by the capacitor. [13]

b Determine the energy stored by the capacitor when the p.d. across i
For each circuit below, determine the total capacitance of the circuit.

(a) (b)

ram shows an electrical circuit.

n electrical circuit.
 Test Yourself 8
A student has available three capacitors, each
of capacitance 12 μF.
Draw circuit diagrams, one in each case, to
show how the student connects the three
capacitors to provide a combined capacitance
of

(a) 8 μF
(b) 18 uF
 Test Yourself 9

The maximum safe potential difference that can

be applied across any one capacitor above is 9.0 V.

Determine the maximum safe potential difference

that can be applied between points A and B.
 Test Yourself 10

Calculate the charge and the p.d. for each capacitor.

Flipped Classroom

Answer End of
Topic Questions
#3 on pages 312-
313 of the
coursebook.