WEEK FIVE
DATE: 20th February 2025 TIME: 2:00 PM- 5:00 PM
TOPIC 5
CAPACITOR NETWORKS
Expected Learning Outcomes
By the end, the learner should be able to:
1) Define term potential as used in capacitors.
2) Explain how to energy is stored in a capacitor.
3) Describe capacitor networks.
Terms used in Capacitor networks
1) Potential Difference
It is the difference in electric potential energy per unit
charge between two points in an electric circuit. It is also
known as voltage.
The work done in charging is the same, and the potential
difference which is created between the plates is;
V=W/Q
where Q is charge , W is work done and V is potential
difference
2) Potential Energy of a Charge in a capacitor
Potential energy of charge, q at a point is the work done.
3) Capacitance
Capacitance is the ability of a system to store charge.
• It is a measure of the amount of electric charge that
can be stored in a given area measured in units of
Farads (F).
• Capacitance is used in the design of capacitors, which
are used to filter, regulate, and store electrical energy.
4) Dielectrics
• A dielectric material is a non-metallic substance having
a high specific resistance.
• A dielectric can also be defined as insulating material or
a very poor conductor of electric current.
Properties of Dielectric Material
Dielectric materials are :
1) Have large energy gaps.
2) Have a negative temperature resistance
coefficient.
3) Have high insulation resistance.
4) Have high resistivity.
5) Have Very strong attraction between the electrons
and the parent nucleus.
6) Have very low electrical conductivity.
7) Have no free electrons to carry current.
Types of Capacitor Networks
There are two types;
A) Capacitors in Series Network
B) Capacitors will each have the same amount of
charge stored on them because the charge from
the first one travels to the second one, and so
on
• The total charge (QT) stored is the charge that left
the supply, which = equals the charge that arrived
at the first capacitor, which = equals the charge
that arrived at the second, etc’. So
QT = Q1 = Q2 = Q3
B) Capacitors in parallel Network
• Two small capacitors in parallel can be thought of
as being the same as one big capacitor:
• The pd across each capacitor is the same as the
total pd and call it, V.
• Then for capacitors in parallel, Total charge stored
= QT
Hence QT = Q1 + Q2 +Q3
• Using;
Q = VC
• We get;
VCT = VC1 + VC2 + VC3
• Divide through by V
CT = C1 + C2 + C3
Energy Stored
1) Energy Stored by a Capacitor
• Work is done to transfer charges onto a conductor
against the force of repulsion from the already
existing charges on it.
• This work done is stored as potential energy of the
capacitor.
• The potential energy difference per unit charge:
• The work done to move the charge given by;
• The work done to move an infinitesimal charge
onto the plate of a capacitor is given by:
• If the capacitor already has a charge , then;
• So
• When two capacitors are in series, each has the
same charge q on one of the plates.
• Thus by;
Hence the smaller capacitance has the greater energy
stored.
• Thus by;
• the larger capacitance stores the greater energy.
2) Energy Stored by Electric Field in a capacitor
• When a capacitor is charged, charges build up on
the capacitor plates, and the insulator between the
plates prevents opposing charges from getting too
close to one another.
• The electric field itself does not provide energy but
the interaction between a charge and an
electromagnetic field produces energy.
• Capacitance is given by:
• Parallel plate capacitor with plate area A and plate
separation d, the magnitude of the electric field
will be given by;
• The potential energy stored in the capacitor is
• and per unit volume, V=Ad, hence, energy density,
u, is given by;
• the field is able to do work on electric charges by
expending this potential energy.
• .
Energy Density in an Electric Field
• Energy stored per unit volume is called energy
density and it is given by
where, E is the net electric field in the dielectric
medium ; Then, for any electric field, we get
with a dielectric of dielectric constant k is introduced.
Student Activities
1) Are all insulators are dielectric materials? Explain.
2) Name the dielectric material widely used in
capacitors?
3) Name the non-polar dielectric.
4) Why are dielectric materials used in capacitors?
5) Is vacuum a perfect dielectric?
********* END OF LESSON FIVE *******