Capacitance Problem; somewhat solved, but units are off

In summary, an air-filled spherical capacitor with radii of 7.00 and 14.0 cm has a capacitance of 15.6 pF. To result in a charge of 4.00 microC on the capacitor, a potential difference of 256 kV is required. There was a calculation error in the initial attempt, but the correct answer is 256 kV.
  • #1
clairez93
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0

Homework Statement



An air-filled spherical capacitor is constructed with inner and outer shell radii of 7.00 and 14.0 cm, respectively. (a) Calculate the capacitance of the device. (b) What potential difference between the spheres results in a charge of 4.00 microC on the capacitor?

Homework Equations



C = ab / Ke(b-a)
C = Q/V

The Attempt at a Solution



(a) C = ab/Ke(b-a) = (.07m * .14m) / (8.9875*10^9N*m^2/C^2 * .07m) = 1.558*10^-11
(b) C = Q/V
V = Q/C = (4*10^-6C) / (1.558*10^-11) = 2.56*10^17

Book's Answers: (a) 15.6 pF (b) 256 kV


I'm pretty sure I messed up somewhere with units and converting, as I'm not sure what units I ended up with, and these answers are much bigger than the book answers. I'm not sure where I went wrong though.
 
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  • #2
Your answer and book's matches for (a). But for (b), there is some calculation error. The working is all right, though.
 
  • #3
Ah, I see. I put it back into my calculator and came up with the correct answer. 256739 which is equivalent to 256 kV I think.
 
  • #4
Yep that's right.
 

What is capacitance and how does it relate to this problem?

Capacitance is the ability of a system to store an electric charge. In this problem, it refers to the ability of a capacitor to store charge.

How was the problem of capacitance solved?

The problem of capacitance was solved by introducing the concept of permittivity, which is a measure of how easily a material can be polarized by an electric field. This allowed for the calculation of capacitance in terms of the geometry and material of the capacitor.

Why are the units off in the solution to this problem?

The units can be off in the solution to this problem because different unit systems may be used. Additionally, there may be rounding errors or incorrect conversions in the calculations.

How can I check if my solution to a capacitance problem is correct?

You can check your solution by using a multimeter to measure the capacitance of the capacitor in question. You can also compare your solution to other known and verified solutions to the same problem.

What are some practical applications of capacitance?

Capacitance has many practical applications, including in electronic circuits, power storage, and sensors. It is also used in devices such as touchscreens, capacitive sensors, and defibrillators.

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