Generally, the two plates of a capacitor are oppositely charged. Right?lys04 said:Homework Statement: The electric field outside a conducting plate of charge is given by sigma/epsilon right? Then why not for a capacitor, since that is 2 conducting plates, is the electric field 2sigma/epsilon using superposition principle?
Relevant Equations: E=sigma/epsilon
The error in post #1 is much more fundamental than any concerns about fringing effects.Tom.G said:
The electric field between parallel plates is a uniform electric field that exists between two parallel conducting plates when a potential difference is applied across them. This field is constant in magnitude and direction between the plates.
The electric field between parallel plates can be calculated by dividing the potential difference between the plates by the distance between them. This is also known as the electric field strength and is represented by the symbol E.
The strength of the electric field between parallel plates is affected by the magnitude of the potential difference applied, the distance between the plates, and the type of material used for the plates. The electric field is stronger with a larger potential difference and smaller distance between the plates.
The electric field between parallel plates exerts a force on charged particles placed between the plates. The direction of this force depends on the charge of the particle and the direction of the electric field. Positively charged particles will experience a force in the direction of the electric field, while negatively charged particles will experience a force in the opposite direction.
Yes, the electric field between parallel plates has many practical applications. It is commonly used in electronic devices such as capacitors and particle accelerators. It is also used in electrostatic precipitators to remove pollutants from the air and in electrostatic painting to evenly coat objects with paint.