Q.Derive an expression for the energy stored in a capacitor of capacitance C, when it is charged with charge Q.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Integrating the work done to move successive small charges onto the capacitor's plates against the growing potential difference gives U = Q²/(2C) = ½CV².
Consider a capacitor of capacitance C being charged gradually, starting from zero charge, by transferring small amounts of charge from one plate to the other (e.g. by a battery) until the final charge is Q.
At some intermediate stage, suppose the capacitor already carries charge q, so the potential difference across it at that instant is:
V(q) = q/C
To transfer a further small charge dq against this potential difference, the work that must be done is:
dW = V(q) × dq = (q/C) dq
This work goes into increasing the electrostatic potential energy stored in the capacitor. To find the total work done (and hence the total energy stored) in charging the capacitor from 0 to the final charge Q, integrate:
W = ∫ dW = ∫₀^Q (q/C) dq = (1/C) × [q²/2]₀^Q = Q²/(2C)
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