Not all parallel plate capacitors are linear; linearity depends on the constancy of permittivity. When permittivity varies, such as in certain materials like paraelectric capacitors, the capacitance can become nonlinear. The discussion references specific resources, including a chapter on paraelectric capacitors from Ferrodevices, which provides insights into this phenomenon. Additionally, examining datasheets for capacitors, such as tantalum capacitors, can reveal variations in capacitance that challenge the assumption of linearity.
PREREQUISITESElectrical engineers, physics students, and anyone involved in capacitor design or analysis will benefit from this discussion, particularly those interested in the nuances of capacitor behavior under varying conditions.
Interesting! I hadn't seen that before.TSny said:http://www.ferrodevices.com/1/297/files/Chapter3-ParaelectricCapacitors.pdf
I'm not sure that's true... How exactly are you defining "linear" in this problem?lonelypancreas said:Capacitance is linear if permittivity is constant.
Have a look at the datasheets for some real capacitors (like tantalums). Do you see anything that might change your answer?lonelypancreas said:Is there a case where a parallel plate capacitor is not linear?