Concept : Capacitors in Parallel

In summary, when capacitors of equal value are connected in parallel, the effective area increases and therefore, the capacitance also increases according to the formula C = \frac{\epsilon A} {d}. This is because the two capacitors share the charges, resulting in a higher total capacitance of the parallel combination.
  • #1
thebiggerbang
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What is the conceptual perspective of why equivalent capacitance is in parallel is more than the individual capacitance?
(assume we have a parallel network of capacitors of equal value)

I know the formulae, decoded the concept behind the eq cap in series but couldn't make any sense out of the parallel combo!
 
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  • #2
thebiggerbang said:
What is the conceptual perspective of why equivalent capacitance is in parallel is more than the individual capacitance?
(assume we have a parallel network of capacitors of equal value)

I know the formulae, decoded the concept behind the eq cap in series but couldn't make any sense out of the parallel combo!

Are you familiar with the equation that is used to calculate the capacitance of a simple parallel plate capacitor?

[tex]C = \frac{\epsilon A} {d}[/tex]

Where A is the plate area and d is the plate separation. What can you say about the effective area of two caps in parallel? What does that do to the capacitance C in that equation? :smile:
 
  • #3
Capacitance is C = q/V .
I say, Capacitance of the capacitor in my hand is 10 Columb per Volt. Which means, If I put in 10 Columbs of charge into it I will get a voltage rise of 1 Volt.
So, If I have two such capacitors in parallel, I would have to put 20 Columb to get a voltage rise of 1 Volt.
So, two 10 columb per volt capacitor in parallel is 20 columb per volt capacitor (because, they have to share the charges (unlike series configuration))
 

Related to Concept : Capacitors in Parallel

1. What is the purpose of connecting capacitors in parallel?

When capacitors are connected in parallel, their total capacitance increases. This allows for a larger amount of charge to be stored, which can be useful in applications such as power supply filtering and energy storage.

2. How do you calculate the total capacitance of capacitors in parallel?

The total capacitance of capacitors in parallel is equal to the sum of the individual capacitances. This can be represented by the formula Ctotal = C1 + C2 + ... + Cn, where Cn is the capacitance of each individual capacitor.

3. Can capacitors in parallel have different capacitance values?

Yes, capacitors in parallel can have different capacitance values. The total capacitance will be the sum of all the individual capacitances, regardless of their values.

4. What happens to the voltage across capacitors in parallel?

When capacitors are connected in parallel, the voltage across each capacitor is the same. This is because they are connected to the same source and are subject to the same voltage difference. However, the charge stored on each capacitor may differ depending on their individual capacitance values.

5. Are there any disadvantages to connecting capacitors in parallel?

One potential disadvantage of connecting capacitors in parallel is that they may have different internal resistances. This can cause imbalances in the charge stored on each capacitor and can affect their overall performance. Additionally, connecting capacitors in parallel can result in a larger physical size compared to a single capacitor with the same capacitance value.

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