Capacitor's dielectric and voltage?

In summary, when a dielectric is inserted into a capacitor connected to a battery, the potential difference of the capacitor will decrease. However, it will then increase again until it becomes equal to that of the battery, causing the charge stored on the capacitor (Q) to also increase. This may seem contradictory to the idea that Q is constant before and after inserting the dielectric, but this is only true when there is no charging or discharging occurring in the capacitor. It's important to provide all necessary information when asking a question to avoid confusion and misinterpretation.
  • #1
mohamed el teir
88
1
suppose a battery connected to a capacitor only (and no dielectric inserted), the potential difference of the capacitor will increase till it becomes equal to that of the battery, suppose we put dielectric in the capacitor, this will decrease potential difference of the capacitor, now the capacitor would have less potential difference than the battery, what will happen next, will the potential difference of the capacitor increase again till it becomes equal to that of the battery again, if it will not increase where will the rest of voltage supplied by the battery go, and if it will increase then the voltage and Q are the same as without dielectric so the capacitance will be the same as without dielectric while this is not true as permittivity increased, or will the potential difference increase again and the Q increase and the idea of Q being constant before/after inserting dielectric is while we aren't connecting a battery only
 
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  • #2
If I understood you correctly, you have a battery connected in series with a capacitor. The voltage across the capacitor will be fixed, that of the battery. The only effect the dielectric will have is changing the amount of charge stored on the capacitor.
 
  • #3
mohamed el teir said:
... this will decrease potential difference of the capacitor ...
By what magic do you believe that this will happen?
 
  • #4
x86 said:
If I understood you correctly, you have a battery connected in series with a capacitor. The voltage across the capacitor will be fixed, that of the battery. The only effect the dielectric will have is changing the amount of charge stored on the capacitor.
Exactly. As the dielectric is inserted the battery will supply more charge to maintain the voltage.
 
  • #5
x86 said:
If I understood you correctly, you have a battery connected in series with a capacitor. The voltage across the capacitor will be fixed, that of the battery. The only effect the dielectric will have is changing the amount of charge stored on the capacitor.
thanks !

phinds said:
By what magic do you believe that this will happen?
man, this will actually decrease the potential difference of the capacitor because k (dielectric constant) = v node / v, but what will happen yes that the potential difference of the capacitor will increase again to be equal to that of battery and therefore Q will increase to give the correct capacitance (higher one after inserting dielectric), what confused me was something i read that says Q is constant before/after inserting dielectric, i concluded that this is true only when there is no charging or discharging for the capacitor (ex: no battery connected to charge and no earthing to discharge), and i wanted to make sure that this conclusion is true
 
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  • #6
mohamed el teir said:
thanks !man, this will actually decrease the potential difference of the capacitor because k (dielectric constant) = v node / v, but what will happen yes that the potential difference of the capacitor will increase again to be equal to that of battery and therefore Q will increase to give the correct capacitance (higher one after inserting dielectric), what confused me was something i read that says Q is constant before/after inserting dielectric, i concluded that this is true only when there is no charging or discharging for the capacitor (ex: no battery connected to charge and no earthing to discharge), and i wanted to make sure that this conclusion is true
That's fine, but making sure that something is true by making a false statement about it is not really the best way to go. Best just ask your question directly. It will NOT decrease the potential difference on the capacitor unless you can magically cause the dielectric to be inserted faster than the battery can supply charge. For an actual battery that may be physically possible and not require magic, but for an ideal battery it is not possible and WOULD require magic.
 
  • #7
phinds said:
That's fine, but making sure that something is true by making a false statement about it is not really the best way to go. Best just ask your question directly. It will NOT decrease the potential difference on the capacitor unless you can magically cause the dielectric to be inserted faster than the battery can supply charge. For an actual battery that may be physically possible and not require magic, but for an ideal battery it is not possible and WOULD require magic.
what false statement ? you can assume that inserting the dielectric would be after removing the capacitor and then connecting it again, if i didn't say the potential difference part i wouldn't ask the question, because when the potential of capacitor doesn't change then Q is not constant and this was the thing i wanted to make sure of because of the not-well-explained thing i read about Q being constant in absolute manner
 
  • #8
mohamed el teir said:
you can assume that inserting the dielectric would be after removing the capacitor and then connecting it again,

we can't assume anything ... if you don't state all the information, we can only go by what you have written
 
  • #9
mohamed el teir said:
what false statement ? you can assume that inserting the dielectric would be after removing the capacitor and then connecting it again, if i didn't say the potential difference part i wouldn't ask the question, because when the potential of capacitor doesn't change then Q is not constant and this was the thing i wanted to make sure of because of the not-well-explained thing i read about Q being constant in absolute manner
As davenn pointed out, that is NOT what you said. You may have felt that you fully implied it but I would not agree and in any case you have to say exactly what you mean if you expect to get any answer based on exactly what you are thinking. We are not mind readers.
 
  • #10
davenn said:
we can't assume anything ... if you don't state all the information, we can only go by what you have written
you know that the person writes this types of question at the moment he is thinking of it, so yes maybe not 100% of info is given clear, anyone can ask what's clear and then i will make my point more clear for sure
 
  • #11
phinds said:
As davenn pointed out, that is NOT what you said. You may have felt that you fully implied it but I would not agree and in any case you have to say exactly what you mean if you expect to get any answer based on exactly what you are thinking. We are not mind readers.
as i said maybe not all the info is 100% clear, but you know as this question is based on confusion so it may have confusion in its info as well, the false idea of Q being constant in absolute manner would make one think of the question like this : how come the voltage will be constant in the capacitor while its Q is constant all the way ? if i could give the info 100% clear then i wouldn't have the confusion, that's what i mean
 
  • #12
mohamed el teir said:
as i said maybe not all the info is 100% clear, but you know as this question is based on confusion so it may have confusion in its info as well, the false idea of Q being constant in absolute manner would make one think of the question like this : how come the voltage will be constant in the capacitor while its Q is constant all the way ? if i could give the info 100% clear then i wouldn't have the confusion, that's what i mean
Fair enough.
 

1. What is a capacitor's dielectric?

A capacitor's dielectric is the insulating material between its two plates. It helps to store electric charge and increases the capacitor's capacitance.

2. How does the dielectric affect a capacitor's performance?

The dielectric material can affect a capacitor's performance by determining its capacitance, voltage rating, and temperature stability. Different dielectric materials have different properties that can impact the performance of a capacitor.

3. What is the role of voltage in a capacitor?

Voltage is the amount of potential difference between a capacitor's two plates. It is the driving force that allows a capacitor to store and release electric charge. The maximum voltage that a capacitor can handle is known as its voltage rating.

4. Can a capacitor's voltage rating be exceeded?

Yes, a capacitor's voltage rating can be exceeded if the voltage applied to it is too high. This can result in the breakdown of the dielectric material and potentially cause a short circuit or damage the capacitor.

5. How do I choose the right capacitor for my project based on its dielectric and voltage?

The choice of capacitor for a project depends on several factors, including the required capacitance, voltage rating, and operating temperature. It is important to select a capacitor with a suitable dielectric material and voltage rating that can meet these requirements. Consult the manufacturer's datasheet for more information on specific capacitors and their capabilities.

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