EEU104/3: Electrical Technology

Lecture 1: Capacitor and Inductor

Dr Haidi bin Ibrahim,
Room 2.33,
School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering,
Engineering Campus,
Universiti Sains Malaysia,
14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang.
E-mail: haidi@eng.usm.my
Ext: 5822
Semester 2, Session 2012 2013

Contents:

1. Capacitor
2. Transient Analysis of a Capacitor
3. Inductor
4. Transient Analysis of an Inductor

Capacitor
In its simplest form, a capacitor is an electrical device
constructed of two parallel plates separated by an insulating
material called the dielectric (e.g. paper, mica, air).

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 390.

 In the neutral state, both plates have an equal number

of free electrons.
When a voltage source is connected to the capacitor,
electrons are removed from one plate and an equal
number are deposited on the other plate.
No electrons flow through the dielectric (insulator).
The accumulated charge in the plates increase the
potential difference (voltage) between the plates.
When the potential difference equal to the supply
voltage, there is no electrons flow.
When the supply is removed from the capacitor, the
capacitor retains the stored charge.

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 391.

 The amount of charge that a capacitor can store per volt

across the plates is its capacitance (C).
C=

Q
V

The unit of capacitance is the farad (F).

One farad is the amount of capacitance when one coulomb
of charge is stored with one volt across the plates.
Most capacitors in electronics work have values of
F (10-6 F) or pF (10-12 F).
6

EXAMPLE:
A capacitor stores 10C when 5V are applied across its plates.
What is its capacitance?

SOLUTION:
Given Q = 10C, and V = 5V. Thus,

EXAMPLE:
A capacitor 4F has 25V across its plates. How much charge
does it store?

SOLUTION:
Given C = 4F, and V = 25V. Thus,

Characteristic of a capacitor:

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 395.

 Capacitance is directly proportional to the physical size of

the plates as determined by the plate area.
Capacitance is inversely proportional to the distance
between the plates.
The measure of a materials ability to establish an electric
field is called the dielectric constant (). Capacitance is
directly proportional to the dielectric constant.

10

A
C=
d
C = capacitance [F]
A = area of parallel plate [m2]
d = distance between plates [m]

= absolute permittivity of a material [F/m]

= ro

r = dielectric constant / relative permittivity

o = absolute permittivity of a vacuum

= 8.854x10-12F/m
11

EXAMPLE:
A capacitor is constructed from two parallel plates with area of
0.02m2 and a plate separation 0.1m. The dielectric is mica, which has
a dielectric constant of 5.Calculate its capacitance value.

SOLUTION:
Given A = 0.02m2, d = 0.1m, r = 5. We know that o = 8.854x10-12F/m.
Thus, the value of capacitance, C, is:

12

ENERGY STORED IN A CAPACITOR

We have:
Q
C=

Q=CV
V
If an alternating voltage is applied to the capacitor:
q=Cv
For a DC current, we have:
Q
I=
t
Thus, the current that flow through the capacitor:
dq d Cv
dv
i= =
=C
dt
dt
dt
13

i=C

dv
dt

v=

1
i dt

Power stored in a capacitor is given by:

dv
p=vi=vC
dt
In dt second, the energy stored in the capacitor is:

dw= pdt=vC dv

W =C v dv

The energy stored in a capacitor when V volts is applied across

it is:
2 V
1
2
V
v
W
=
CV
W =C 0 v dv=C
2
2 0

[ ]

14

EXAMPLE:
Calculate the energy stored by a 0.1pF capacitor with 10V
across its plates?

SOLUTION:
Given C = 0.1pF, V = 10V, W = ?

15

Series capacitors.

Using Kirchoff Voltage Law (KVL)

v T t =v 1 t v 2 tv 3 t ...v n t
1
1
1
1
1
i dt= i dt i dt i dt ... i dt

CT
C1
C2
C3
Cn
1
1
1
1
1
= ...
CT C 1 C 2 C 3
Cn
Figure taken from:
Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 404.

16

EXAMPLE:
Find the total capacitance in this circuit.

SOLUTION:

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 405.

17

Parallel capacitors.

Using Kirchoff Current Law (KCL)

i T t=i 1 t i 2 t i 3 t ...i n t
dv t
dv t
dv t
dv t
dv t
CT
=C 1
C 2
C 3
...C n
dt
dt
dt
dt
dt
C T =C 1C 2 C 3...C n
Figure taken from:
Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 408.

18

EXAMPLE:
Find the total capacitance in this circuit.

SOLUTION:
C T =C 1 C 2C 3 C 4C 5C 6
C T =0.01 F0.022 F0.01 F0.047 F0.22 F0.022 F
C T =0.133 F
Figure taken from:
Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 408.

19

How much time is needed to fully

charge a capacitor?
Step response

Transient analysis
Figure taken from:
Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 409.

How much time is needed to fully

charge a capacitor?

Consider the following circuit.

+
VS
-

+
C V0
-

Initially, the voltage across the capacitor is V0.

 Then, we close the switch at time t = t0s.

+ vR +
VS
-

R
iC
iC

iC

C vC
-

The voltage across the capacitor is denoted as

vC, and the current across the capacitor is iC.

+ vR +
VS
-

R
iC
iC
V S =v Rv C
V S =Ri cv C

iC

C vC
-

V S =Ri cv C

dvC
V S =RC
v C
dt
dv C
v cV S =RC
dt
1
1
dv C =
dt
v c V S
RC

At t =t0, vC = V0. After t s we switched on the

switch, the voltage across the capacitor is vc(t).

t
1
1
V v V dvC =t RC dt
c
S
tt 0
v t
[ ln v cV S ]V = RC
v C t V S
tt 0
ln
=
V 0V S
RC
v C t
0

tt 0
RC

tt 0

v C t =V S V 0 V S e

v C t =V S V 0 V S e

Where = RC = time constant

t0s

t0s

t 0 =0

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 412.

+ vR +
VS
-

R
iC

iC

iC

i C t =i R t
V S v C t
i C t =
R

C vC
-

V S v C t
i C t =
R

tt 0

1
i C t= V S V S V 0V S e
R
1
i C t= V S V 0 e
R

t t 0

t0s

Normally, the capacitor is fully charged after 5

EXAMPLE:
Determine the capacitor voltage 50s after the switch is closed if
the capacitor initially is uncharged. Draw the charging curve.

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 413.

SOLUTION:

v C t =501et / 82 s V

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 413.

How much time is needed to fully

discharge a capacitor?
Natural response

Transient analysis
Figure taken from:
Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 410.

How much time is needed to fully

discharge a capacitor?

Consider the following circuit.

+
C V0
-

Initially, the voltage across the capacitor is V0.

 Then, we close the switch at time t = t0s.

- vR +
+

R
iR

iC

C vC
-

The voltage across the capacitor is denoted as vC, and the

current across the capacitor is iC.
The voltage across the resistor is denoted as vR, and the
current across the resistor is iR.

 The capacitor discharge and supply voltage to

the circuit.
i R=i C
v C =v R=Ri R
dvc
v C =RiC =RC
dt
1
1
dvC =
dt
vc
RC
v c t

t
1
1
dvC =t
dt
vc
RC
0

v c t

t
1
1
dvC =t
dt
vc
RC
0

v c t
tt 0
ln
=
V0
RC

v c t =V 0 e

tt 0
RC

v c t =V 0 e

tt 0

t0

t0
tt 0

v c t
V
i c t =i R =
= e
R
R

t0

t 0 =0

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 412.

EXAMPLE:
Determine the capacitor voltage 6ms after the switch is
closed. Draw the discharging curve.

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 414.

SOLUTION:

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 414.

Remember:

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 415.

Example:
Initially, the capacitor is
uncharged and the switch S is at
position b. At time t=0s, the
switch is switched to position a,
and at t=20s, the switch is
E
switched back to position b.
Given that E = 2V, R=500 and
C=2mF. Draw the current and
voltage curves for the following
circuit from t=0s to t=40s.

a
b

iC

+ vR C

+
vC
-

 Solution:

Ketika pemindahan
20s a ke b
suis dari
i

charging
Cas

discharging
Nyahcas

2V

4mA I

vC
iC
0

5s

25s

-4mA -I
0

Inductor

When an electric current flow through a conductor, magnetic

flux (magnetic field) is created around that conductor.

 The magnitude of the flux is depends on:

The magnitude of the current.
Properties of the core
Physical properties of the coil (length and area)

The Ohm's law for flux:

Fm
=

=flux
F m=magnetomotive force
=reluctance

V
I=
R

Fm
=

NI
=

A
=N I
l

N I r 0 A
=
l

F m=N I
l
l
R= =
A A
l
=
A

=permeability= r 0
7

0=4 10 Wb/ At.m

 Voltage across the inductor is given by:

d
v= N
dt

v= N

Fm
d

dt

Ni
d

v= N
dt

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 509.

Ni
d

v= N
dt
2
N di
v=
dt
di
v= L
dt
N2
L=

2 r 0 A
L=N
l

 Inductance is a measure of a coil's ability to

establish an induced voltage as result of a
change in its current.
The inductance is 1 henry (1H) when current
through the coil changing at the rate of 1A/s,
induces one volt across the coil.

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 513.

Example:
An inductor has 180 turns, with its core is made from an
iron with relative permeability of 1500. The core has the
length of 30mm and cross sectional area of 78.5mm2.
Determine the inductance.
Solution:

Exercise:
Current shown in the figure below flowing through 250mH
inductor. Draw the graph of the voltage across that
inductor.
i (mA)
80

t (ms)
0

v= L

di
dt

i=

1
v dt

Power stored in an inductor is given by:

di
p=vi= L
i
dt
In dt second, the energy stored in the inductor is:

dw= pdt= Li di

W = L i di

The energy stored in an inductor when I amperes is applied

through it is:
2 I
1 2
I
i
W = LI
W = L 0 i di= L
2
2 0

[]

55

Series inductors.

Using Kirchoff Voltage Law (KVL)

v T t =v 1 t v 2 tv 3 t ...v n t
di
di
di
di
di
LT = L1 L 2 L3 ... Ln
dt
dt
dt
dt
dt
L T = L1 L 2 L 3... Ln
Figure taken from:
Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 514.

56

Parallel inductors.

Using Kirchoff Current Law (KCL)

i T t=i 1 t i 2 t i 3 t ...i n t
1
1
1
1
1
v
dt=
v
dt
v
dt
v
dt...
v dt

LT
L1
L2
L3
Ln

LT =

1
1
1
1
...
L1 L 2 L3
Ln

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 516.

57

Exercise:
Find the total inductance between terminal A
and B.
A
L2
25 mH
L1
60 mH
L3
15 mH
B

58

Exercise:
Determine the total energy stored by inductors in the
following circuit. Given that inductor L1 stores 28mJ
energy.
I = 600 mA
I2
I1

L2
150 mH

L1
350 mH
L3
100 mH
R1
R2

59

How much time is needed to fully

energize the current in an inductor?

Consider the following circuit.

+
VS
-

Transient analysis:
step response

+
L V0
-

Initially, the voltage across the inductor is V0.

 Then, we close the switch at time t = 0s.

+ vR +
VS
-

R
iL
iL

iL

vL
-

The voltage across the inductor is denoted as vL,

and the current across the capacitor is iL.

+ vR +
VS
-

R
iL
iL
V S =v Rv L
V S =Ri L v L

iL

vL
-

V S =Ri L v L
di L
V S =i L RL
dt
di L
V s i L R= L
dt
di L
R
dt=
L
Vs
i L
R

At t = t0, iL = I0. After t s we switched on the switch,

the current flow across the inductor is iL(t).

i t
di L
R
t L dt=I V
s
i L
R
i t
VS
tt 0
ln i L =
R
L/ R
I
t

VS
i L t
tt 0
R
ln
=
VS
L/ R
I 0
R
VS
i L t t t
R
=e L/ R
VS
I0
R
0

VS
i L t t t
R
=e L/ R
VS
I0
R

tt 0
L/ R

VS VS
i L t=
I 0 e
R
R
t t
VS
V S L/ R
i L t= I 0
e
R
R

VS
VS
i L t= I 0
e
R
R

t0s

t0s

tt 0

t0s

Where = L/R = time constant. Normally, fully energized after 5.

VS
VS
i L t= I 0
e
R
R

tt 0

t0s

The voltage across the inductor:

di L t
v L t=L
dt
tt
tt

V
V
V
d
L
S
S
S

v L t = L
I 0
e
=
I 0
e

dt R
R
R

v L t = V S I 0 R e

t t 0

t 0 =0

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 518.

How much time is needed to fully

deenergize an inductor?

Consider the following circuit.

Transient analysis:
natural response

S1

+
VS
-

R
S2

V0
-

Initially, the voltage across the inductor is V0.

 Then, open switch S1 and close switch S2 at time t = t0s.

- vR +

S1

+
VS
-

R
S2

iR

iL

vC
-

The voltage across the capacitor is denoted as vL, and the

current across the capacitor is iL.
The voltage across the resistor is denoted as vR, and the
current across the resistor is iR.

 The inductor deenergize and supply current to

the circuit.
i R=i L
v L =v R =Ri R
di L
L
=Ri L
dt
1
R
di L= dt
iL
L
i t 1
t
R
di
=

I i L t L dt
L
L

i c t

t
1
R
di L =t dt
iL
L
0

i L t
tt 0
ln
=
I0
L / R

i L t =I 0 e

tt 0
L / R

i L t =I 0 e

tt 0

t0

t0

v L t =v R t=i L t R=I 0 Re

tt 0

t0

t 0 =0

Figure taken from:

Thomas L. Floyd, Electronics Fundamentals: Circuits, Devices, and
Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004, page 520.

Example:
Initially, the inductor is fully
deenergized and the switch S is
at position b. At time t=0s, the
switch is switched to position a,
and at t=10s, the switch is
switched back to position b.
Given that E = 3V, R=5 and
L=2H. Draw the current and
voltage curves for the following
circuit from t=0s to t=20s.

a
b

+ vR -

E
L

+
vL
-

 Solution:

Energizing

De-energizing

3V

10s

E
R

+E
iL
vL
0

2s

-3V

-E

12s

0
t

0.6A