Chapter 17: Capacitor and dielectrics

PSPM 2012/2013

1. (c)
i. The capacitance is measure of ability of capacitor to store charge Q per unit volt of
charging voltage.

ii. 𝑄 = 𝐶𝑉
= (2 µ𝐹)(10)
= 20 µ𝐶

−𝑡
iii. 𝑄 = 𝑄𝑜 𝑒 𝑅𝐶
𝑍 = 𝑅𝐶
= (2µ𝐹)(2𝑀𝛺)
= 4𝑠

𝑄 = 20 µ𝑒 = 2.71 µ𝐶

PSPM 2013/2014

1. (a)
i. Time constant, τ @ τ = RC
τ= how fast charge on capacitor reaches 63% of its maximum value during charging OR
37% of its initial value during discharging.

ii. Electric field between plates orients the molecules of the dielectric with their positive
ends pointing toward the negatively charged plate and their negative ends pointing
toward the positively charged plated.
OR

Reduces some of the negative charges on the plates  allowing more charges on the
𝑄
plate. Since = 𝑉 , increasing Q will increase C.
 OR

𝜀𝑜 𝐴
𝐶𝑜 = without dielectric.
𝑑

𝜀𝑟 𝜀𝑜 𝐴
𝐶𝑑 = with dielectric.
𝑑

≈ 𝜀𝑟 ≥ 1, 𝐶𝑑 ≥ 𝐶𝑜

(b) 𝐶1 = (𝐶 + 0.6)𝑥 10−6 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶2 = (0.2 + 0.8)𝑥 10−6

1 1 1 𝐶1 𝐶2
= + −→ 𝐶𝑠 =
𝐶1 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶1 +𝐶2

(𝐶+0.6)(0.2+0.8)𝑥 10−2
0.5 = (𝐶+1.6)𝑥 10−6

𝐶 = 4 𝑥 10−7 𝐹

PSPM 2014/2015

1. (c)
i.

ii. Series connetion: 𝑄1 = 𝑄2

𝐶1 𝑉1 = 𝐶2 𝑉2

𝜀𝐴 𝜀𝐴
(𝑑 )𝑉1 = (𝑑 )𝑉2
1 2

𝑉1 𝑉 2
0.002
= 0.004

𝑉1 = 0.5 𝑉2 ----------------------------------- (1)

 Parallel connetion: 𝑉1 + 𝑉2 = 𝑉𝑇

0.5 𝑉2 + 𝑉2 = 6

1.5 𝑉2 = 6

𝑉2 = 4 𝑉

𝑉1
(iii) 𝐸1 = 𝑉1 = 0.5𝑉2 = 0.5 (4) = 2𝑉
𝑑1

2
𝐸1 = 0.002 = 1000 𝑉𝑚−1