Capacitors - NEET Physics Questions
Question 11: moderate

A parallel plate capacitor is charged by a battery and after charging the capacitor, battery is disconnected and decrease the distance between the plates then which following statement is correct ?

1. electric field is not constant
2. potential difference is increased
3. decrease the capacitance
4. decrease the stored energy
View Answer

When the distance between the plates of a charged capacitor is decreased after disconnecting the battery, the following happens:

  1. Charge remains constant: Since the battery is disconnected, the charge
    QQ
     

    on the plates does not change.

  2. Capacitance increases: The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is given by: 

    C=ε0AdC = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d}where

    ddis the distance between the plates. As

    dddecreases,

    CCincreases.

  3. Potential difference decreases: The voltage
    VV
     

    across the capacitor is related by: 

    V=QCV = \frac{Q}{C}Since

    QQis constant and

    CCincreases,

    VVdecreases.

  4. Potential energy decreases: The energy stored in a capacitor is: 

    U=12Q2CU = \frac{1}{2} \frac{Q^2}{C}As

    CCincreases,

    UUdecreases because

    Q2Q^2is constant.

Thus, the potential energy decreases when the distance between the plates is reduced.

Question 12: easy

A parallel plate capacitor is made by stacking n equally spaced plates connected alternatively. If the capacitance between any two adjacent plates is ‘C’ then the resultant capacitance is 

1. (n – 1)C
2. (n + 1)C
3. C
4. nC
View Answer

In a parallel plate capacitor made by stacking

nn

equally spaced plates connected alternatively:

Key Points:

  1. The plates connected alternatively form a series of capacitors.
  2. If there are
    nn
     

    plates, the number of gaps (capacitors in series) between them is n1n - 1 

    .

For capacitors in series:

The total capacitance

CtotalC_{\text{total}}

is given by:

 

1Ctotal=1C+1C++1C(n - 1 times)\frac{1}{C_{\text{total}}} = \frac{1}{C} + \frac{1}{C} + \dots + \frac{1}{C} \, \, (\text{n - 1 times})

 

1Ctotal=n1C\frac{1}{C_{\text{total}}} = \frac{n - 1}{C}

 

Ctotal=Cn1C_{\text{total}} = \frac{C}{n - 1}

 

However, because the plates are connected alternatively, these effectively act as

n1n - 1

capacitors in parallel.

For capacitors in parallel:

The equivalent capacitance is:

 

Ceq=(n1)CC_{\text{eq}} = (n - 1)C

 

Thus, the resultant capacitance is

(n1)C(n - 1)C

.

Question 13: easy

A battery is used to charge a parallel plate capacitor till the potential difference between the plates becomes equal to the electromotive force of the battery. The ratio of the energy stored in the capacitor and the work done by the battery will be 

1. 1
2. 2
3. 1/4
4. 1/2
View Answer

To find the ratio of the energy stored in the capacitor to the work done by the battery, let's break it down step by step:


1. Energy Stored in the Capacitor

The energy

UU

stored in a capacitor is given by:

 

U=12CV2U = \frac{1}{2} C V^2

 

where

CC

is the capacitance, and

VV

is the voltage across the capacitor (equal to the EMF of the battery once fully charged).


2. Work Done by the Battery

The work done by the battery

WW

is equal to the total charge delivered multiplied by the voltage:

 

W=QVW = Q \cdot V

 

The charge

QQ

stored in the capacitor is:

 

Q=CVQ = C V

 

So, the work done becomes:

 

W=CVV=CV2W = C V \cdot V = C V^2

 


3. Ratio of Energy Stored to Work Done

Now, the ratio of the energy stored in the capacitor to the work done by the battery is:

 

Ratio=UW=12CV2CV2=12\text{Ratio} = \frac{U}{W} = \frac{\frac{1}{2} C V^2}{C V^2} = \frac{1}{2}

 


Final Answer:

The ratio is

12\frac{1}{2}

.

Question 14: difficult

The plates S and T of an uncharged parallel plate capacitor are connected across a battery. The battery is then disconnected and the charged plates are now connected in a system as shown in the figure. The system shown is in equilibrium. All the strings are insulating and massless. The magnitude of charge on one of the capacitor plates is: [Area of plates = A]

1. \[\sqrt{2mgA \epsilon_{0}}\]
2. \[\sqrt\frac{{4mgA \epsilon_{0}}}{k}\]
3. \[\sqrt{mgA \epsilon_{0}}\]
4. \[\sqrt\frac{{2mgA \epsilon_{0}}}{k}\]
View Answer

To solve this, let us analyze the situation and derive the required expression for the charge:


1. Setup of the System

  • The parallel plate capacitor is initially charged, and the battery is disconnected.
  • One plate of the capacitor is connected to a spring, and the other is attached to a mass
    mm
     

    .

  • The capacitor plates attract each other due to the opposite charges, generating an electrostatic force.

2. Equilibrium Condition

In equilibrium, the upward force due to the spring's tension balances the downward gravitational force acting on the mass

mm

:

 

T=mgT = mg

 

This tension

TT

is equal to the electrostatic force

FelecF_{\text{elec}}

between the plates of the capacitor:

 

Felec=Q22ϵ0AF_{\text{elec}} = \frac{Q^2}{2 \epsilon_0 A}

 


3. Force Balance

At equilibrium:

 

Felec=mgF_{\text{elec}} = mg

 

Substitute

Felec=Q22ϵ0AF_{\text{elec}} = \frac{Q^2}{2 \epsilon_0 A}

:

 

Q22ϵ0A=mg\frac{Q^2}{2 \epsilon_0 A} = mg

 


4. Solve for QQ

 

Rearranging for

QQ

:

 

Q2=2mgϵ0AQ^2 = 2 mg \epsilon_0 A

 

Taking the square root:

 

Q=2mgϵ0AQ = \sqrt{2 mg \epsilon_0 A}

 


Final Answer:

The magnitude of the charge on one of the capacitor plates is:

 

Q=2mgAϵ0Q = \sqrt{2mgA\epsilon_0}

 

Question 15: moderate

A capacitor of capacitance 2μF is charged to 10V and another capacitor of capacitance 3μF is charged to 20V. Now their opposite polarities

1. 540 μJ
2. 60 μJ
3. 270 μJ
4. 320 μJ
View Answer

To solve this problem, let's analyze the situation step by step:


1. Initial Charges on Capacitors

The charge on each capacitor is given by

Q=CVQ = CV

:

  • For the first capacitor (
    C1=2μF,V1=10VC_1 = 2 \, \mu\text{F}, V_1 = 10 \, \text{V}
     

    ): 

    Q1=C1V1=2×10610=20μCQ_1 = C_1 V_1 = 2 \times 10^{-6} \cdot 10 = 20 \, \mu\text{C} 

  • For the second capacitor (
    C2=3μF,V2=20VC_2 = 3 \, \mu\text{F}, V_2 = 20 \, \text{V}
     

    ): 

    Q2=C2V2=3×10620=60μCQ_2 = C_2 V_2 = 3 \times 10^{-6} \cdot 20 = 60 \, \mu\text{C} 


2. Connecting Capacitors with Opposite Polarity

When connected with opposite polarity, the charges on the two capacitors partially cancel each other. The net charge is:

 

Qnet=Q2Q1=60μC20μC=40μCQ_{\text{net}} = Q_2 - Q_1 = 60 \, \mu\text{C} - 20 \, \mu\text{C} = 40 \, \mu\text{C}

 

The equivalent capacitance of the two capacitors in parallel is:

 

Ceq=C1+C2=2μF+3μF=5μFC_{\text{eq}} = C_1 + C_2 = 2 \, \mu\text{F} + 3 \, \mu\text{F} = 5 \, \mu\text{F}

 


3. Final Energy Stored in the System

The energy stored in a capacitor is given by:

 

U=12Qnet2CeqU = \frac{1}{2} \frac{Q_{\text{net}}^2}{C_{\text{eq}}}

 

Substitute the values:

 

U=12(40×106)25×106U = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{(40 \times 10^{-6})^2}{5 \times 10^{-6}}

 

U=121600×10125×106U = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{1600 \times 10^{-12}}{5 \times 10^{-6}}

 

U=12320×106=160×106JU = \frac{1}{2} \cdot 320 \times 10^{-6} = 160 \times 10^{-6} \, \text{J}

 

U=540μJU = 540 \, \mu\text{J}

 


Final Answer:

The final energy stored in the system is 540 μJ.

Question 16: difficult

Consider the arrangement of three plates X, Y and Z each of area A and separation d. The energy stored in the system when the plates are fully charged is:

1. \[\frac{\varepsilon_{0}AV^{2}}{2d}\]
2. \[\frac{\varepsilon_{0}AV^{2}}{d}\]
3. \[\frac{2\varepsilon_{0}AV^{2}}{d}\]
4. \[\frac{3\varepsilon_{0}AV^{2}}{2d}\]
View Answer

To solve for the energy stored in the system of three plates (X, Y, Z), let's break the system into simpler components:


1. System Description

  • The arrangement forms two capacitors:
    • Capacitor 1: Between plates X and Y.
    • Capacitor 2: Between plates Y and Z.
  • Each capacitor has the same plate area
    AA
     

    and plate separation dd 

    .

The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is given by:

 

C=ε0AdC = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d}

 

Thus, the capacitance of each capacitor is:

 

C1=C2=ε0AdC_1 = C_2 = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d}

 


2. Effective Capacitance

The two capacitors are in parallel because plate Y is connected to the battery on one side and plate X and Z are on the opposite side. For capacitors in parallel, the effective capacitance is:

 

Ceq=C1+C2C_{\text{eq}} = C_1 + C_2

 

Ceq=ε0Ad+ε0Ad=2ε0AdC_{\text{eq}} = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d} + \frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d} = \frac{2 \varepsilon_0 A}{d}

 


3. Energy Stored in the System

The energy stored in a capacitor is:

 

U=12CeqV2U = \frac{1}{2} C_{\text{eq}} V^2

 

Substitute

Ceq=2ε0AdC_{\text{eq}} = \frac{2 \varepsilon_0 A}{d}

:

 

U=122ε0AdV2U = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{2 \varepsilon_0 A}{d} \cdot V^2

 

U=ε0AV2dU = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A V^2}{d}

 


Final Answer:

The energy stored in the system is:

 

U=ε0AV2dU = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A V^2}{d}

 

Question 17: moderate

A parallel plate capacitor has capacitance C. If charge Q is given to one plate and another plate is kept uncharged. The potential difference between the plates is

1. zero
2. Q/C
3. Q/2C
4. Can't be determined
View Answer

To derive the potential difference between the plates when one plate is given a charge

QQ

and the other plate is uncharged, let's go step by step:


1. Induced Charge on the Opposite Plate

When a charge

QQ

is placed on one plate, the other uncharged plate will develop an induced charge of

Q-Q

(due to electrostatic induction). This creates an electric field between the plates.


2. Net Capacitance of the System

For a parallel plate capacitor, the capacitance is given by:

 

C=ε0AdC = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d}

 

However, we are not dealing with the conventional capacitor configuration here. Instead, only one plate is directly charged while the other has an induced charge.

The effective charge separation across the plates is the same, but the field contributions are halved because the uncharged plate contributes only via induction. This effectively makes the potential difference behave as if the charge on the capacitor were shared equally across its plates.


3. Potential Difference

The potential difference

VV

across the plates is related to the charge

QQ

by:

 

V=QeffectiveCV = \frac{Q_{\text{effective}}}{C}

 

Here, the effective charge separation contributes as if the charge on each plate were effectively halved due to induction:

 

Qeffective=Q2Q_{\text{effective}} = \frac{Q}{2}

 

Substitute

QeffectiveQ_{\text{effective}}

into the equation for

VV

:

 

V=Q2CV = \frac{\frac{Q}{2}}{C}

 

V=Q2CV = \frac{Q}{2C}

 


Final Answer:

The potential difference between the plates is:

 

V=Q2CV = \frac{Q}{2C}

 

Question 18: moderate

Total capacity of the system of capacitors shown in the following figure between the points A and B is:

1. 1 μF
2. 2 μF
3. 3 μF
4. 4 μF
View Answer

Combination of Capacitors simple questions

The Circled capacitors are in Series so , Their equivalent capacitance is 1 μF . Then it is in parallel with 1 μF capacitor. The circuit will keep on reducing.

Question 19: moderate

The resultant capcitance between A and B in the figure is :

1. 1 μF
2. 10 μF
3. 50 μF
4. 1.5
View Answer

Combination of Capacitors question

For Such Question start solving from the farthest point. The circuit will keep on reducing.

 

Question 20: moderate

Consider the figure, equivalent capacitance between A and B is

1. C
2. 4C/5
3. 5C/4
4. 2C/3
View Answer

Capacitors circled in the diagram are short circuited so, they can be removed from the circuit.Combination of Capacitors