Squeezing a capacitor, how does it effected the charge?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of parallel-plate capacitors when one is mechanically altered by squeezing, specifically focusing on the effects on charge transfer and storage when connected to a voltage source.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between capacitance, charge, and voltage in parallel capacitors, questioning how changes in plate separation affect these quantities. There are attempts to calculate the total charge and adjustments based on the mechanical change to one capacitor.

Discussion Status

Some participants have made progress in their calculations, while others are still seeking clarification on specific parts of the problem. There is an indication of productive dialogue, with some participants revisiting their assumptions and calculations.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of a homework assignment, which may limit the information they can use or the methods they can apply. There is also a focus on understanding the implications of halving the plate separation on capacitance and charge.

mr_coffee
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I can't seem to get this one to work.

Two parallel-plate capacitors, 7.0 µF each, are connected in parallel to a 10 V battery. One of the capacitors is then squeezed so that its plate separation is halved.

(a) Because of the squeezing, how much additional charge is transferred to the capacitors by the battery?
wrong check mark µC
(b) What is the increase in the total charge stored on the capacitors, due to the squeezing?
µC

I tried the following:
Since its in paraellel, i added the C's and got C = 14, Q = CV;
Q = (14)(10) = 140, but they then said, the one capacitor is then squeezed so the plate separation is halved, so I figured I would double the result i got oringally, so i'd get 140*2 = 280, which was wrong.
 
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Nevermind i figured it out! i just had to do 7*2 + 7, so i got (a) 70;
But for part b, i thought it would just be 210, but it was wrong, any ideas? Thanks
 
How much MORE is 210 than 140?
 
ohhh! thanks lightgrav :) 70.
 

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