CAPACITOR CONFIGURATION

SOME OF THE EARLIEST CAPACITORS WERE SIMPLY GLASS JARS FILLED WITH
SALT WATER AND WRAPPED IN METAL FOIL. THESE CAPACITORS - CALLED
LEYDEN JARS –
.
 CAPACITORS CAN FIT ONTO THE SMALLEST OF CIRCUIT
BOARDS AND HOLD VARYING AMOUNTS OF CHARGE

To put it simply, a capacitor is a component that stores electricity and then

discharges it back into the circuit when there is a drop in voltage.
BATTERY CAPACITOR

• power is generated through a • charge is stored and

chemical reaction
• can yield much more energy
for a longer period
maintained in an electrical
field.
• can discharge considerably
more energy exponentially
faster than a battery.
• ideal when you need a lot of
energy fast.
CAPACITORS ARE MEASURED IN FARADS
NON POLARIZED CAPACITOR RATING
THE FIRST TWO NUMBERS DESCRIBE THE VALUE OF THE
CAPACITOR AND THE THIRD NUMBER (SHOULD IT EXIST) IS THE
NUMBER OF ZEROS IN THE MULTIPLIER.
POLARIZED CAPACITORS
 CAPACITOR
CONFIGURATIONS:
PARALLEL AND SERIES
 TYPES OF CAPACITOR CONNECTION
SERIES (OR A ONE-PATH SYSTEM)
each capacitor gets the same total charge
Q such that Q1 = Q and Q2 = Q.
Electric Potential is V = V1 + V2
*voltage divider
PARALLEL (MULTI-PATH SYSTEM)
Q splits up according to the number
of paths present.
In this case, Q = Q1 + Q2.
Electric Potential is V = V1 = V2.
*current divider
 CAPACITORS IN PARALLEL

q1  q2
CP  or
V
q1 q2
CP   or
V V
CP  C1  C2
COMPUTATIONAL EXAMPLE

• A 3.0 F and a 5.0 F capacitor are connected in parallel across a 12 V

battery.
1 1 ; q1   3.0 F 12 V  ; q1  36 C
q1  CV
• Find the charge on each capacitor. q2  C2V2 ; q2   5.0 F 12 V  ; q2  60 C

• Find the equivalent capacitance. CP = C1 + C2; CP = 3.0 F + 5.0 F;

CP = 8.0 F
 CAPACITORS IN SERIES

V  V1  V2
q q q 1 1 1
  ;  
CS C1 C2 CS C1 C2
 A 3.0 F AND A 5.0 F CAPACITOR ARE CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH
A 12 V BATTERY.
1. Find the equivalent capacitance.

2. Find the charge on each capacitor.

q = CSV: q = (1.9 F)(12 V); q = 23 C

3. Find the potential drop (or voltage) across each capacitor.

IMPENDING CHALLENGE: CAPACITANCE
NETWORKS
WHAT IS THE TOTAL CAPACITANCE?
THE 24, 12, AND 8.0-F CAPACITORS ARE IN SERIES. WE CAN FIND THE
EQUIVALENT CAPACITANCE FOR THE THREE CAPACITORS:
1 1 1 1
   or Cs  4.0  F
Cs 24  F 12  F 8.0  F

This 4.0-F capacitance is in parallel with the 4.0-F capacitance

already shown in the text diagram
Cp  4.0  F + 4.0  F = 8.0  F
This 8.0-F capacitance is between the 5.0 and the 6.0-F capacitances
and in series with them.
1 1 1 1
   or Cs  2.0  F
Cs 5.0  F 8.0 F 6.0 F