Calculating Charge Stored on Parallel Plates with Non-Conducting Water

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the charge stored on two parallel plates separated by non-conducting water, with a given area of 4.67 cm² and a voltage of 5.39 V. The formula used for capacitance is C = K(ε₀A/d), where K is the dielectric constant (80 for water), ε₀ is the permittivity of free space (8.85 x 10^-12 F/m), A is the area in m², and d is the separation in meters. The correct calculation reveals that the area should be converted accurately to 4.67 x 10^-4 m², resulting in a charge of 45.34 nC.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of capacitance and its formula C = K(ε₀A/d)
  • Knowledge of dielectric constants, specifically for water (K = 80)
  • Familiarity with unit conversions, particularly from cm² to m²
  • Basic algebra for manipulating equations and solving for charge (Q = CV)
NEXT STEPS
  • Review the concept of capacitance in different dielectric materials
  • Learn about the properties of non-conducting materials and their impact on capacitance
  • Study unit conversion techniques for area and volume in physics problems
  • Explore advanced applications of capacitors in electrical circuits
USEFUL FOR

Students in physics, electrical engineering majors, and anyone involved in capacitor design or analysis will benefit from this discussion.

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Homework Statement


Two parallel plates, each of area 4.67 cm2, are separated by 3.93 mm
with purified non-conducting water between them. A voltage of 5.39 V
is applied between the plates.

Find the charge stored on each plate. Answer in units of nC.

Homework Equations



C = K\frac{(\varepsilon_{0}A)} {d}}

Q = CV

The Attempt at a Solution



Q = [ 5.39 * 80 * (8.85 * 10^-12) (4.67 * 10^-2) ] / (3.93 * 10^-3)

Q = 4.534 * 10^-8

When I convert that to nC I get 45.34 nC. What went wrong? =(

Also, sorry for the horrible formatting! I'm having database errors when trying to use too much LaTex.
 
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Tekmachine said:
Two parallel plates, each of area 4.67 cm2

Q = [ 5.39 * 80 * (8.85 * 10^-12) (4.67 * 10^-2) ] / (3.93 * 10^-3)

Hi Tekmachine! :smile:

(no need to use LaTeX … just use the X2 and X2 tags above the Reply field. :wink:)

erm … 4.67 cm2 isn't (4.67 * 10^-2) m2. :smile:
 
i feel so dumb, lol thanks!
 

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