LAB MANUAL 07
Capacitors
Identification of Different Capacitors Types and Reading their
Capacitance
Finding Total Capacitance in Series and Parallel Circuits
Name Reg. no. Report Marks / 10 Viva Marks / 5 Total/15
EXPERIMENT NO. 07
Capacitors
Objectives:
• Capacitors Identification
• Learn to find their capacitance
• Total Capacitance calculation in series and parallel circuits
Equipment Required:
• Power supply
• Multimeter
• Capacitors (polarized and non-polarized)
• Connecting wires
• Bread board
• Compass
Theory:
Capacitors are passive elements, capable of storing and delivering finite amount of energy. The voltage
current relationship for these elements depends on time, which leads to many interesting circuits. All
real components have an inherent resistance, capacitance and inductance associated with them
(although very small) which can significantly affect circuit performance.
Capacitors
Capacitor is a device consisting of two conducting surfaces on which charge may be stored, separated
by a thin layer of insulation that has a very large resistance sufficient enough to be considered as
infinite. Thus, the equal and opposite charge present on the capacitor plates can never recombine at
least by any path within.
A. Identification of Different Capacitors Types and Reading their Capacitance
There are a several types of capacitors available which are listed in the table below:
We define capacitance by the voltage current relationship,
A constant voltage across a capacitor, results in zero current passing through it; a capacitor thus is an
“open circuit to dc”.
Capacitance Measurement
Capacitor:
There are two types of capacitors, i.e. electrolyte and non – electrolyte capacitors. The non- electrolytic
capacitors use Paper, Mica, Ceramic, Mylar, Glass, Porcelain, Polycarbonate, and Wax as Insulator.
Figure 2 shows symbols of the two types of the capacitor. The difference in the use of the two types of
capacitors is that non-electrolytic capacitors can be charged in any direction, whereas the Electrolytic
ones can only be charged in one direction. Electrolytic Capacitors are Polar; i.e., one of its two plates is
Positive and other is Negative, whereas in non- electrolytic capacitors, both the plates are same, having
no polarity.
Numerical Code is used with non - electrolytic capacitors to specify their capacitance. Usually, these
codes are 3 digit long, specifying the capacitance in Pico Farads; the first two digits are Tens and Units,
whereas the third digit is power of 10. For example, a code 102 means:
Fig 2.1: Capacitor Numerical Code Reading and Tolerance Values
For example: 102 means 1000pF = 1nF (not 102pF!) 472J means 4700pF = 4.7nF (J means 5%
tolerance).
333K means 33000pF = 33nF (K means 10% tolerance)
Tens Units Power of Tens Capacitance
1 0 2 10 x 10² pF = 1000 pF = 1nF
4 7 2 47x10² pF=4.7nF±5%
33x103 pF=33nF±10%
3 3 3
Fig 2.2: Different Capacitors Types
Finding Total Capacitance in Series and Parallel Circuits
When capacitors are connected in series, the total capacitance is less than any one of the series
capacitors’ individual capacitances. If two or more capacitors are connected in series, the overall effect
is that of a single (equivalent) capacitor having the sum total of the plate spacing of the individual
capacitors. As we’ve just seen, an increase in plate spacing, with all other factors unchanged, results in
decreased capacitance.
Fig 2.3: Serial Connection of Capacitors
Thus, the total capacitance is less than any one of the individual capacitors’ capacitances. The formula
for calculating the series total capacitance is the same form as for calculating parallel resistances:
When capacitors are connected in parallel, the total capacitance is the sum of the individual capacitors’
capacitances. If two or more capacitors are connected in parallel, the overall effect is that of a single
equivalent capacitor having the sum total of the plate areas of the individual capacitors.
As we’ve just seen, an increase in plate area, with all other factors unchanged, results in increased
capacitance.
Fig 2.4: Parallel Connection of Capacitors
Thus, the total capacitance is more than any one of the individual capacitors’ capacitances. The formula
for calculating the parallel total capacitance is the same form as for calculating series resistances:
Charge of a capacitor is calculated by
= /
Procedure
• Take capacitors of different values
• Design series and parallel circuits
• Calculate total capacitance theoretically and practically and record the results in table.
• Calculate charge of capacitor
Capacitors (pF in Series Ceq in Series Ceq in Parallel Ceq in Parallel Capacitors (pF
or uF) Circuit Circuit Circuit Circuit or uF)
(calculated) (measured) (calculated) (measured) (calculated) (measured)
Observations: (2 Marks)
Review Questions
Is there any difference between measured and calculated capacitance? (1 Marks)
Why in series configuration, total capacitance is less than any individual capacitance? (1 Marks)
What is meant by RC time constant? (1 Marks)
Why capacitor blocks DC? (1 Marks)
What will be the total capacitance if 33pf, 20uF and 0.01pF are in parallel? (1 Marks)