Combination of capacitors
Capacitors in series
Capacitors are said to be connected in series when they are joined end to end such that charge on
the plates is the same.
Consider three capacitors of capacitance C1, C2 and C3 connected in series. The charge on their plates
is Q and the potential difference across the capacitors are V1, V2 and V3 respectively.
V1 = Q/ C1 ; V2 = Q/ C2 and V3 = Q/ C3
If the three capacitors are replaced by a single equivalent capacitor of capacitance C and the
potential difference across it is V, then V = Q/C
But, V = V1 + V2 + V3
Q/C= Q/ C1 + Q/ C2 + Q/ C3
Hence, 1/C= 1/ C1 + 1/ C2 + 1/ C3
Capacitors in parallel
Capacitors are said to be connected in parallel when they are connected between two points such
that potential difference across them is the same.
Consider three capacitors of capacitance C1, C2 and C3 connected in parallel. The potential difference
across the capacitors is V and the charge on their plates are Q1, Q2 and Q3 respectively.
Q1 = C1 V; Q2 = C2 Vand Q3 = C3 V
If the three capacitors are replaced by a single equivalent capacitor of capacitance C and the charge
on it is Q, then Q = C V
But, Q = Q1 + Q2 + Q3
C V = C 1 V + C 2 V + C3 V
Hence, C = C1 + C2 + C3
Practice question
1. A network of four 10 µF capacitors is connected to a 500 V supply. Determine
(a) the equivalent capacitance of the network and
(b) the charge on each capacitor. (Note, the charge on a capacitor is the charge on the plate
with higher potential, equal and opposite to the charge on the plate with lower potential.)
2. (a) A 900 pF capacitor is charged by 100 V battery. How much electrostatic energy is stored
by the capacitor? Fig ( a)
(b) The capacitor is disconnected from the battery and connected to another 900 pF
capacitor. What is the electrostatic energy stored by the system? Fig (b)
3. Three capacitors each of capacitance 9 pF are connected in series. (a) What is the total
capacitance of the combination? (b) What is the potential difference across each capacitor if
the combination is connected to a 120 V supply?
4. Three capacitors of capacitances 2 pF, 3 pF and 4 pF are connected in parallel. (a) What is
the total capacitance of the combination? (b) Determine the charge on each capacitor if the
combination is connected to a 100 V supply.
5. Obtain the equivalent capacitance of the network in Fig. 2.35. For a 300 V supply, determine
the charge and voltage across each capacitor.
Energy stored in a capacitor and energy density
The work done in charging a capacitor is stored in the capacitor as electric potential energy.
Consider a capacitor of capacitance C and potential difference V when completely charged. In the
process of charging let charge q be present on the plates of the capacitor at any given instant and v
be the potential difference across the capacitor. In order to increase the charge by an amount dq, a
small amount of work dW is done.
dW = v dq
The total work done in charging the capacitor from 0 to charge Q is given by
W= 𝑑𝑞 = =
This work done is stored as potential energy U.
Hence, U = = 𝐶𝑉 = 𝑄𝑉
Energy density is the energy stored per unit volume = u = U/Vol = (for a parallel plate capacitor)
Practice questions
1. A 12pF capacitor is connected to a 50V battery. How much electrostatic energy is stored in
the capacitor?
2. A 600pF capacitor is charged by a 200V supply. It is then disconnected from the supply and is
connected to another uncharged 600 pF capacitor. How much electrostatic energy is lost in
the process?
3. The plates of a parallel plate capacitor have an area of 90 cm2 each and are separated by 2.5
mm. The capacitor is charged by connecting it to a 400 V supply. How much electrostatic
energy is stored by the capacitor?
4. A 4 µF capacitor is charged by a 200 V supply. It is then disconnected from the supply, and is
connected to another uncharged 2 µF capacitor. How much electrostatic energy of the first
capacitor is lost in the form of heat and electromagnetic radiation?
