University Physics

Capacitors

Chapter 24

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 24.1 In-Class Exercise

The figure shows a charged capacitor. What is

the net charge on the capacitor?
a) (+q) + (–q) = 0
b) |+q| + |–q| = 0
c) |+q| + |–q| = 2q
d) (+q) + (–q) = 2q
e) q
 24.2 In-Class Exercise

Suppose you charge a parallel plate capacitor

using a battery and then remove the battery,
isolating the capacitor and leaving it charged.
You then move the plates of the capacitor
farther apart. The potential difference between
the plates will
a) increase.
b) decrease.
c) stay the same.
d) not be determinable.
 24.3 In-Class Exercise

Suppose you have a parallel plate capacitor with

area A and plate separation d, but space
constraints on a circuit board force you to
reduce the area of the capacitor by a factor of
2. What do you have to do to compensate and
retain the same value of the capacitance?
a) reduce d by a factor of 2
b) increase d by a factor of 2
c) reduce d by a factor of 4
d) increase d by a factor of 4
 24.4 In-Class Exercise

If the inner and outer radii of a spherical

capacitor are increased by a factor of 2, what
happens to the capacitance?
a) It is reduced by a factor of 4.
b) It is reduced by a factor of 2.
c) It stays the same.
d) It is increased by a factor of 2.
e) It is increased by a factor of 4.
 24.5 In-Class Exercise

For a circuit with three capacitors in series, the

equivalent capacitance must always be
a) equal to the largest of the three individual
capacitances.
b) equal to the smallest of the three individual
capacitances.
c) larger than the largest of the three individual
capacitances.
d) smaller than the smallest of the three
individual capacitances.
 24.6 In-Class Exercise
The potential drop for a circuit with three capacitors of
different individual capacitances in series connection
is
a) the same across each capacitor and has the same
value as the potential difference supplied by the
battery.
b) the same across each capacitor and has 13 of the value
of the potential difference supplied by the battery.
c) largest across the capacitor with the smallest
capacitance.
d) largest across the capacitor with the largest
capacitance.
 24.7 In-Class Exercise

Three capacitors, each with capacitance C, are

connected as shown in the figure. What is the
equivalent capacitance for this arrangement of
capacitors?

a) C/3
b) 3C
c) C/9
d) 9C
e) none of the above
 24.8 In-Class Exercise
Three capacitors, each with capacitance C, are
connected as shown in the figure. What is the
equivalent capacitance for this arrangement of
capacitors?

a) C/3
b) 3C
c) C/9
d) 9C
e) none of the above
 24.9 In-Class Exercise

Three capacitors are connected to a battery as

shown in the figure. If C1 = C2 = C3 = 10.0 μF
and V = 10.0 V, what is the charge on capacitor
C3?

a) 66.7 μC d) 300 μC
b) 100 μC e) 457 μC
c) 150 μC
 24.10 In-Class Exercise

How much energy is stored in the 180-μF

capacitor of a camera flash unit charged to
300.0 V?
a) 1.22 J
b) 8.10 J
c) 45.0 J
d) 115 J
e) 300 J
 24.11 In-Class Exercise

Suppose you charge a parallel plate capacitor with a

dielectric between the plates using a battery and
then remove the battery, isolating the capacitor and
leaving it charged. You then remove the dielectric
from between the plates. The potential difference
between the plates will
a) increase.
b) decrease.
c) stay the same.
d) not be determinable.
 24.12 In-Class Exercise

What would happen if the dielectric in the capacitor

of Example 24.5 were pulled halfway out and then
released?
a) The dielectric would be pulled back into the
capacitor.
b) The dielectric would heat up rapidly.
c) The dielectric would be pushed out of the
capacitor.
d) The capacitor plates would heat up rapidly.
e) The dielectric would remain in the halfway
position, and no heating would be observed.
 24.13 In-Class Exercise
State whether each of the following statements about an
isolated parallel plate capacitor is true or false.
a) When the distance between the plates of the capacitor is
doubled, the energy stored in the capacitor doubles.
b) Increasing the distance between the plates increases the
electric field between the plates.
c) When the distance between the plates is halved, the charge
on the plates stays the same.
d) Inserting a dielectric between the plates increases the
charge on the plates.
e) Inserting a dielectric between the plates decreases the
energy stored in the capacitor.
 Answer Key – Chapter 24
24.1 a
24.2 a
24.3 a
24.4 d
24.5 d
24.6 c
24.7 a
24.8 b
24.9 a
24.10 b
24.11 a
24.12 a
24.13 (a) True (b) False (c) True (d) False (e) False