PHYSICS 489 - Week 16


PHYS 16.1    NO CLASS    Martin Luther King Holiday


PHYS 16.2 Capacitors
Reading: Don't Panic Vol II pp 97-104,108-109
Homework: Ch. 6: Pr 1-3; Ex 1
Keywords: Capacitance (farad), Parallel-plate, Cylindrical, Spherical,

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session the student will be able to:
  1. state the defining equation for capacitance.
  2. determine the formulas for the capacitance of the three capacitor geometries amenable to Gauss's Law.
  3. determine the expression for the energy stored in a capacitor by calculating the work done to charge it.

PHYS 16.3 Simple Circuits with Capacitors / Current, Resistance, and Ohm's Law
Reading: Don't Panic Vol II pp 105-110, pp 119-124
Homework: Ch. 6: Pr 4,5; Ex 2-5
Ch. 7: Pr 1-3; Ex 1-3
Keywords: Series & parallel connections, Stored energy, Electric current, Resistance, Resistivity, Conductivity

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session the student will be able to:
  1. calculate the equivalent capacitance of either series or parallel combinations of individual capacitors.
  2. solve for the steady state charges, voltages and currents in simple circuits with batteries, resistors and capacitors.
  3. define electric current and the SI units of current.
  4. relate the directions of conventional current, electric field, and electron drift in a metallic conductor.
  5. define the resistance of a conductor using Ohm's Law and state its SI units.
  6. define and relate the resistivity and conductivity of a material; including the SI units of each plus any assigned names.