Handout No. 10 (Capacitance) by Odon M. Sanchez C.

(spring semester 2017)

1. Today’s topic is CAPACITANCE. Think of the word CAPACITY; we may say that a plastic water bottle has CAPACITY to storage
water, please notice (even that it looks silly) that the CAPACITY to storage water DOES NOT depend of the water itself, but on the
dimensions of the bottle.

Consider now two elements nearby, both of them conductors; we can say that these two elements have a capacity to storage electric
charge, or better, a capacity to storage electric energy; the two conductor elements are called a capacitor if they have charge, or not (in
the same way a plastic water bottle is called a plastic water bottle if it contains water or not). Figure A shows a capacitor that has
capacitance (capacity to storage charge), but no charge on it, on the other hand; Figure B shows the same capacitor, but it has charge
on it; notice in Figure B that the capacitor was charged using a battery (the word “charged” refers to separation of charge), also notice
that the amount of charge in one of the elements is the same as in the other (absolute value of course), this number can be very large (a
good number would be 666 billion and 123 positive charges and 666 billion and 123 negative charges), also notice that a few field lines
were drawn in between the two elements. We can said that Figure A and Figure B illustrates both a capacitor, a difference is that in
Figure A we DO NOT HAVE electric energy stored in the capacitor, and in Figure B we DO HAVE electric energy stored in the
capacitor; by the way, electric energy (in large amounts) is quite difficult to storage (I hope YOU, as an engineering, will solve this
problem in a near future), for example the photocells can use the sun during the day to produce electric energy, but the real problem is
to store this electric energy to use it at nighttime when there is not sun (of course there is always a sun); large cities at down increase
dramatically the amount of electric energy they need (for obvious reasons) and the electric companies that supplies electricity need to
produce more electric energy due to the increase in demand (they do not store electric energy).

+Q -Q

Figure A Figure B
2. We can divide the capacitors as natural capacitors and artificial capacitors. Nature use plenty of capacitors, for example there are
millions of them inside your brain, more specifically in your neurons (the axon in each neuron can be considered as a cylindrical
capacitor), so, you can think (I hope you are thinking at this moment) thanks to capacitors. On the other hand artificial capacitors can
be found everywhere in our modern society, at this very moment there are millions of them around you (pretty sure you probably don’t
see them), it is difficult to imagine modern society without capacitors, you can find plenty of them inside a computer, in a cell phone,
in a car, for mention just some places; the transmission lines (the cables used by electric companies to transport electricity, for example
to your home) works thanks to the use of capacitors. Artificial capacitors were first created in Europe about 300 years ago; they were
called Leyden Jars or condensers (remember, jars can storage water; electricity was considered a fluid at that time), Leyden Jars were
improved by Benjamin Franklin in United States (Leyden is a city at Holland, considered a university city since about 1580, I am
convinced, in general, that universities mean good changes for society, good thing we are at a university).
𝑄
3. Well, well, well, so… where is the beef? I know you are anxious to learn. Capacitance in Physics is defined by: 𝐶 = , ‘Q’ is the
∆𝑉
charge on the positive element of the capacitor and ‘∆𝑉’ is the potential difference in between the two elements. Please notice that
capacitance DOES NOT depends of the charge (a capacitor HAS capacitance with charge or without it, just as a plastic water bottle
has capacity with water or without water); For over 30 years I have had smart (and polite) E & M students that pointed out to me:
mister, why do you tell me that ‘C’ doesn`t depend on the charge ‘Q’? Please take a second look at the definition (they probably think,
𝑄
while they speak: are you sick or what?) Well, in the definition 𝐶 = there are TWO ‘Q’s’; one of them is on top (quite easy to see),
∆𝑉
the other is hidden at the bottom (inside ∆𝑉) and ‘bingo’ they cancel each other (at the end, you know where they go, ask Paz).
Capacitance is measured (SI) in coulombs/volts [𝐶/𝑉], this unit is so important in engineering that there is a name for it: farads [𝐹]. If
you go out to “Steren” the majority of the capacitors on sell will be of the order of picofarads [𝑝𝐹], and they will cost a few cents
(American dollars), also they are probably made in China.
4. It is time to learn how to compute capacitance in Physics, but first: if you want to compute the capacity of a plastic water bottle there
is an easy technique: (a) Empty the bottle. (b) Fill the bottle with water. (c) Pour the water into a graduate cylinder and of course take
a reading, then you can dispose of the water (drink it for example). Well, there is a similar algorithm to compute the capacitance of a
capacitor: (a) Charge the capacitor (using a battery will be O.K.) (b) Compute the electric field between the two elements of the
capacitor. (c) Use the electric field to compute the potential difference (∆𝑉) between the elements of the capacitor. (d) Use the definition
𝑄
of capacitance (𝐶 = ), and in doing so you dispose of the charge, remember, they cancel each other.
∆𝑉
5. Parallel Plate Capacitor. A parallel plate capacitor is made with two conductors, identical planar plates that are parallel and
separated a distance ‘d’, the surface of each one of the plates is ‘A’. Let’s compute the capacitance of this capacitor: (a) Use an
imaginary battery to charge the plates of the capacitor. (b) The charges produces an electric field in between the two plates, if the
surface is large and the separation distance is small the electric field can be considered uniform (constant) in between the plates and
zero outside. (c) Use this electric field to compute the potential difference in between the plates, and finally: (d) Use the definition of
capacitance to compute the capacitance. Let’s do this whole process in slow motion: Take a peek at the Figure where it is shown a
parallel plate capacitor (cross section) that was charged with a battery, please notice that there is a uniform electric field in between the
plates (ideal situation, an approximation).

𝜎𝑜
You should know by now that the magnitude of the electric field due to a single planar charged surface is given by: 𝐸 = , we
2 𝜖0
obtained this equation using Gauss’s Law (closed box as a gaussian surface) and also by direct integration (the ring, then the disk, then
the very large disk). Well, in the case of the parallel plate capacitor (and using superposition) the electric field within the plates is given
𝜎
by: 𝐸 = 𝑜 . We can use now the definition of electric potential to compute the potential difference between the two elements of the
𝜖0
𝐵
capacitor (two plates): ∆𝑉 = 𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐴 = − ∫𝐴 𝐸⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝐿 ⃗ , choose point ‘A’ as a point located at the middle of the right plate, and choose
point ‘B’ as a point located at the middle of the left plate; also choose a horizontal straight line as the integration path that unites point
‘A’ with point ‘B’ (nature lets you choose whatever line you want to unite these two points, do not forget), also notice that 𝐸⃗ points to
the right and 𝑑𝐿⃗ points to the left during the integration process (cos 180𝑜 ) then we can write: ∆𝑉 = + ∫𝐵 𝜎𝑜 𝑑𝐿 , or ∆𝑉 = 𝜎𝑜 ∫𝐵 𝑑𝐿
𝐴 𝜖𝑜 𝜖0 𝐴
𝜎𝑜 (𝑄/𝐴)
, but the line integral is just ‘d’, the separation between the two plates, then we can said: ∆𝑉 = 𝑑 or ∆𝑉 = 𝑑 . As our final
𝜖𝑜 𝜖𝑜
𝑄 𝑄
step (time to pour the water out of the plastic water bottle) use the definition of capacitance: 𝐶 = = (𝑄/𝐴) and bingo, both Q’s go
∆𝑉 𝑑
𝜖𝑜
𝝐𝒐 𝑨
away and we are left with: 𝑪 = . Please notice that the capacitance doesn’t depend of the charge (again, and again).
𝒅

6. Spherical Capacitor. A spherical capacitor consist of two concentric spherical and conductor shells; the inner one of radius ‘r=R1’
and the outer one of radius ‘r=R2’. Again connect the inner shell to the positive terminal of a battery and the outer shell to the negative
terminal of a battery, the battery charges the capacitor. How about the electric field? Notice that the magnitude of the electric field is
1 𝑄
zero for r<R1 and also for r>R2. However, the magnitude of the electric field in between the shells (R1<r<R2) is given by: 𝐸 = .
4𝜋𝜖𝑜 𝑟 2
𝑟=𝑅 1 𝑄
If you compute the electric potential using a line integral that goes from r=R2 to r=R1 we obtain: ∆𝑉 = 𝑉𝑅1 − 𝑉𝑅2 = − ∫𝑟=𝑅 1 𝑑𝑟
2 4𝜋𝜖𝑜 𝑟 2
𝑄 1 1 𝑄 𝑅2 −𝑅1 𝑄
and solving the integral: ∆𝑉 = ( − ) or ∆𝑉 = ( ) . Using now the definition of capacitance: 𝐶 = we obtain as
4𝜋𝜖𝑜 𝑅1 𝑅2 4𝜋𝜖𝑜 𝑅1 𝑅2 ∆𝑉
𝑹𝟏 𝑹 𝟐
our final answer: 𝑪 = 𝟒𝝅𝝐𝒐 ( ) . Notice again that the capacitance doesn’t depend of the charge (again, and again, it is important).
𝑹𝟐 −𝑹𝟏

7. Cylindrical Capacitor. A cylindrical capacitor consist of two coaxial cylindrical and conductor shells; the inner one of radius
‘r=R1’ and the outer one of radius ‘r=R2’, both of them of length ‘L’. If you compute the capacitance of this capacitor using the same
𝟐𝝅𝝐𝒐 𝑳
algorithm as the one used for the spherical capacitor we get as our final answer: 𝑪 = 𝑹 .
𝒍𝒏 ( 𝟐⁄𝑹 )
𝟏

8. Energy Stored in a Charged Capacitor. A relaxed spring has no elastic potential energy, however, a compressed spring has elastic
potential energy that can be released (used). The same thing can be said about capacitors; a capacitor without charge has no electric
potential energy that can be used, however, a charged capacitor has potential electric energy that can be released (used). Remember,
the energy (doesn’t matter if it is kinetic energy, thermal energy, nuclear energy, etc.) is measured in joules (SI). In order to compress
a spring you have to do WORK (defined in Physics as: 𝑊 = ∫ 𝐹 ∙ 𝑑𝐿 ⃗ ), this work is stored as elastic potential energy. In order to
𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒
charge a capacitor the battery has to do WORK (separation of charges; positive charges go to one of the elements, negative charges go
1
to the other element), this work is stored as electric potential energy. The energy stored in a charged capacitor is: 𝑈 = 𝐶 ∆𝑉 2 . Notice
2
that if the capacitor is not charged, then ∆𝑉 = 0 and then U = 0 (no potential energy). The demonstration of the last equation is no
really difficult, but it is out of the scope of this course. Please, DO NOT CONFUSE electric potential (it is measured in volts) with
electric potential energy (it is measured in joules). By the way, elastic potential energy in a spring is just electric potential energy stored
in the molecules of the spring.
9. Increasing the capacitance (changing the value of epsilon). Let’s go back to the parallel plate capacitor, the capacitance, as you
𝜖𝑜 𝐴
know, is given by the equation: 𝐶 = . Notice that if you want to increase the capacitance you can increase the area “A” or decrease
𝑑
the separation distance in between the two plates “d”. There is another way in which you can increase the capacitance without changing
the area or the separation distance. We have assumed (so far) empty space in between the two plates, but we can put a non-conductor
material (dielectric material) in between the plates (e.g. wax or paper). In such a case the net electric field in between the two plates of
the charged capacitor decreases, as a consequence the potential difference in between the two plates decreases too, and the capacitance
increases. This can be represented mathematically in the following way, for a parallel plate capacitor with paper in between the two
𝜖𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝐴
plates the capacitance is given by: 𝐶 = , but 𝜀𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑟 ≈ 2𝜀𝑜 , where “2” is the dielectric constant of the paper (dry), a number
𝑑
without units (dimensionless) and always greater than one. In other words, 𝐶 = 2𝐶𝑜 , where 𝐶𝑜 is the capacitance for empty space in
between the plates. This idea can be generalized for every capacitor (parallel plate or not) and we can write the general equation for
the capacitance as: 𝐶 = 𝑘𝐶𝑜 , where ‘k’ is the dielectric constant and 𝐶𝑜 is the capacitance of the capacitor when there is empty space
in between the two conductor elements of the capacitor, the larger the dielectric constant, the larger the capacitance. The dielectric
constant for empty space is of course equal to one. Tables of dielectric constants for different material are easy to find.