Parallel plate capacitor's charge

In summary, the question is asking about the electric field and charge on each electrode of a parallel plate capacitor. The formula used to calculate the electric field between the electrodes is E=surface charge density/(2*absalon naught), but when finding the charge, the question asks for the charge on each electrode, not the total charge. Therefore, the formula should be divided by 2 to get the charge on one electrode.
  • #1
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http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/4392/ppcapqs2.png

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In this question the charge is calculated by isolating Q in E=surface charge density/absalon not
My question is, the electric field of an infinite charged plane is E=surface charge density/(2*absalon naught)because the electric field in center of parallel plate capacitor are parallel we add

surface charge density/(2*absalon naught)+surface charge density/(2*absalon naught)

to give us E between the electrodes to be surface charge density/absalon notbut when that question uses that formula to find the charge, shouldn't the charge found be divided by 2 to get the charge on each electrode since that formula we initially created by adding the E of both electrodes n this question asks to find charge on each electrode...so what i am really saying is that why isn't the Q in that formula (in that link) charge of both electrodes (their magnitude ofcourse) why is that Q the charge on one electrode?
 
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  • #2
As you said, the electric field due to one plate is surface charge density/(2*absalon naught) So this is equal to Q/(2A*epsilon naught) (where A is area, and Q is charge on one plate). And the total electric field is twice this (since there are two oppositely charged plates), so it is Q/(A*epsilon naught)
 

What is a parallel plate capacitor?

A parallel plate capacitor is a type of capacitor that consists of two parallel conducting plates separated by an insulating material, known as a dielectric. It is used to store electrical energy and has applications in various electronic devices.

How does a parallel plate capacitor store charge?

A parallel plate capacitor stores charge by creating an electric field between its two plates. When a voltage is applied to the capacitor, one plate becomes positively charged and the other plate becomes negatively charged. The charge is stored in the form of an electrostatic field between the plates.

What factors affect the charge on a parallel plate capacitor?

The charge on a parallel plate capacitor is affected by several factors, including the distance between the plates, the area of the plates, and the type of dielectric material used. The charge is directly proportional to the voltage applied and inversely proportional to the distance between the plates.

How is the charge on a parallel plate capacitor calculated?

The charge on a parallel plate capacitor can be calculated using the formula Q = CV, where Q is the charge in coulombs, C is the capacitance in farads, and V is the voltage applied. The capacitance can be determined by dividing the permittivity of the dielectric material by the distance between the plates.

What is the maximum charge that a parallel plate capacitor can hold?

The maximum charge that a parallel plate capacitor can hold is determined by its capacitance and the voltage applied. As the capacitance increases, the maximum charge that can be stored also increases. However, there is a limit to the amount of charge that can be stored before the capacitor reaches its breakdown voltage and discharges.

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