Chapter 3

Worked Example 1
Q Calculate the total (effective) capacitance for each of the three circuit arrangements shown in (a), (b),
and (c) below.

C2 5 µF
C1 5 µF C1 C5 8 µF
C1 C2 C3 0.4 µF
2 µF
C6 2 µF
C2 10 µF
50 pF 25 pF C4 6.6 µF

(a) (b) (c)

A
C1C2
(a) C
picofarad
C1  C2
50  25


50  25
so, C
16.67 pF Ans

(b) C
C1  C2 microfarad

5  10
so, C
15 µF Ans
(c) A labelled circuit diagram is shown below.

C2 5 µF

C5 8 µF
C1 2 µF
A C3 0.4 µF
B
C
C6 2 µF
D
C4 6.6 µF

8
 Supplementary Worked Examples 9

CCD
C5  C 6 microfarad
8  2
10 µF
C BC
C2  C3  C 4 microfarad
5  0.4  6.6
so, C BC
12 µF
1 1 1 1 1 1 1

 
 
C C AB C BC CCD 2 12 10
30  5  6 41



60 60
so, C
1.46 µF Ans

Worked Example 2
Q A capacitor network connected to a d.c. supply is shown below. Calculate (a) the charge drawn from
the supply, (b) the charge on C3, and (c) the p.d. across C1.
C1 4 µF

C3 8 µF
B C

C2 6 µF
A

V
120 V
A
(a) C AB
C1  C2 microfarad
4  6
so, C AB
10 µF
C AB C3 10  8
C AC
microf arad

C AB  C3 10  8
and C AC
4.44 µF
Q
VC AC coulomb
120  4.44  106
so, Q
533 µC Ans
(b) The equivalent circuit is shown below, in which each of the two effective
capacitors will receive the same value of charge, Q coulomb, from the supply.
CAB C3
B
A C

10 µF 8 µF

VAB VBC

V
120 V
10 Supplementary Worked Examples

Hence the charge on C3
533 µC Ans

Q 533  106
(c) From the above figure, VAB
volt

C AB 10  106
so, p.d. across C1 (and C2)
VAB
53.3 V Ans

This result may be checked by calculating the p.d. across C3, thus:

533  106
VBC

66.6 V
8  106
and V
VAB  VBC
53.3  66.6
119.9 V
which, allowing for rounding error, is 120 V.

Worked Example 3
Q For the circuit shown below determine (a) the p.d. V2, (b) the value of C2, and (c) the value of C3 and
the energy stored in C3.
C1 C2 C3

10 µF

19.35 V V2 48.38 V

V
100 V

A
(a) V2
100  (19.35  48.38 )

100  67.73
so, V2
32.27 V Ans
(b) Being a series circuit, all three capacitors will receive the same value of
charge from the supply; i.e. the total circuit charge Q, where
Q
Q3
Q2
Q1
V1C1 coulomb

19.35  10  106
Hence, Q2
193.5 µC
Q2
C2
farad
V2
193.5  106


32.27
so, C2
6 µF Ans
Q3 193.5  106
(c) C3
farad

V3 48.38
so, C3
4 µF Ans
1
W3
C3V32 joule
0.5  4  106  48.382
2
so, W3
4.68 mJ Ans