If a voltage is applied across a capacitor by connecting the capacitor to a bat- tery with conducting wires as in Fig. 17–14, charge flows from the battery to each of the two plates: one plate acquires a negative charge, the other an equal amount of positive charge. Each battery terminal and the plate of the capacitor connected to it are at the same potential; hence the full battery voltage appears across the capacitor. For a given capacitor, it is found that the amount of charge Q acquired by each plate is proportional to the magnitude of the potential difference V between the plates: Q = CV. (17–7) The constant of proportionality, C, in Eq. 17–7 is called the capacitance of the capacitor. The unit of capacitance is coulombs per volt, and this unit is called a farad (F). Common capacitors have capacitance in the range of 1 pF (picofarad = 10 12F) to 10° µF (microfarad = 10 F). The relation, Eq. 17-7, was first suggested by Volta in the late eighteenth century. In Eq. 17–7 and from now on, we will use simply V (in italics) to represent a potential difference, such as that produced by a battery, rather than Vpa, AV, or V - Va, as previously.

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We have seen that the capacitance C depends on the size
and position of the two conductors, as well as on the
dielectric constant K. What then did we mean when we
said that C is a constant in Eq. 17–7?

If a voltage is applied across a capacitor by connecting the capacitor to a bat-
tery with conducting wires as in Fig. 17–14, charge flows from the battery to each
of the two plates: one plate acquires a negative charge, the other an equal amount
of positive charge. Each battery terminal and the plate of the capacitor connected
to it are at the same potential; hence the full battery voltage appears across the
capacitor. For a given capacitor, it is found that the amount of charge Q acquired
by each plate is proportional to the magnitude of the potential difference V between
the plates:
Q = CV.
(17–7)
The constant of proportionality, C, in Eq. 17–7 is called the capacitance of
the capacitor. The unit of capacitance is coulombs per volt, and this unit is
called a farad (F). Common capacitors have capacitance in the range of 1 pF
(picofarad = 10 12F) to 10° µF (microfarad = 10 F). The relation, Eq. 17-7,
was first suggested by Volta in the late eighteenth century.
In Eq. 17–7 and from now on, we will use simply V (in italics) to represent a
potential difference, such as that produced by a battery, rather than Vpa, AV, or
V - Va, as previously.
Transcribed Image Text:If a voltage is applied across a capacitor by connecting the capacitor to a bat- tery with conducting wires as in Fig. 17–14, charge flows from the battery to each of the two plates: one plate acquires a negative charge, the other an equal amount of positive charge. Each battery terminal and the plate of the capacitor connected to it are at the same potential; hence the full battery voltage appears across the capacitor. For a given capacitor, it is found that the amount of charge Q acquired by each plate is proportional to the magnitude of the potential difference V between the plates: Q = CV. (17–7) The constant of proportionality, C, in Eq. 17–7 is called the capacitance of the capacitor. The unit of capacitance is coulombs per volt, and this unit is called a farad (F). Common capacitors have capacitance in the range of 1 pF (picofarad = 10 12F) to 10° µF (microfarad = 10 F). The relation, Eq. 17-7, was first suggested by Volta in the late eighteenth century. In Eq. 17–7 and from now on, we will use simply V (in italics) to represent a potential difference, such as that produced by a battery, rather than Vpa, AV, or V - Va, as previously.
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