Combination of Capacitors

Chapter-2|Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance| NCERT 12th Physics:

Combination of Capacitors:

When there is a combination of capacitors in a circuit, we can sometime replace that combination with an equivalent capacitor.

The two basic combinations of capacitors which can be replaced by single equivalent capacitor, are

Capacitors in Series:

When negative plate of one capacitor is connected to the positive plate of the second, and the negative of the second to be positive of the third and so on, the capacitors are said to be connected in series.

When a potential difference (V) is applied across several capacitors connected in series, sum of potential differences across all the capacitors is equal to the applied potential difference V.

Potential difference across the series combination

The equivalent capacitance of n capacitors connected in series is equal to the sum of the reciprocals of individual capacitances of the capacitors.

This combinations is used when a high voltage is to be divided on several capacitors.

Capacitors in parallel:

When the positive plates of all capacitors are connected to one common point and the negative plates to another common point, the capacitors are said to be connected in parallel.

In parallel combination potential difference (V) is same for all capacitors But charge(Q) are different.

Capacitors are connected in parallel, when we required a large capacitance at small potential.