Capacitors with different dielectric constants

In summary: What do you not understand?Have you read any relevant sections of the textbook or looked up anything on line?HINTS are given only under strict guidelines, to prevent giving away the answer too soon.These may include specifying areas to look at and equations to use.Please post your attempts and thoughts on this question in this topic.
  • #1
Clyner791
4
0
Two capacitors have the same plate separation, but one has square plates and the other has circular plates. The square plates are a length L on each side, and the diameter of the circular plate is L. The capacitors have the same capacitance because they contain different dielectric materials. The dielectric constant of the material between the square plates has a value of ksquare = 3.4. Calculate the dielectric constant kcircular of the material between the circular plates.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Clyner791 said:
Two capacitors have the same plate separation, but one has square plates and the other has circular plates. The square plates are a length L on each side, and the diameter of the circular plate is L. The capacitors have the same capacitance because they contain different dielectric materials. The dielectric constant of the material between the square plates has a value of ksquare = 3.4. Calculate the dielectric constant kcircular of the material between the circular plates.
Hello Clyner791. Welcome to PF !

The following is a quote from the rules for posting in the Homework section of this Forum.

NOTE: You MUST show that you have attempted to answer your question in order to receive help. You MUST make use of the homework template, which automatically appears when a new topic is created in the homework help forums. Once your question or problem has been responded to, do not go back and delete (or edit) your original post.​

What have you tried?

Where are you stuck?
 

1. What is a dielectric constant?

A dielectric constant, also known as relative permittivity, is a measure of a material's ability to store electrical energy in an electric field. It is the ratio of the electric flux density produced by an applied electric field in a vacuum to the electric flux density produced by the same field in the material.

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

The dielectric constant of a material affects the capacitance of a capacitor. A higher dielectric constant means that the material has a greater ability to store electrical energy, resulting in a higher capacitance. This means that capacitors with higher dielectric constants can store more charge and have a greater ability to block the flow of current.

3. What are some common materials with different dielectric constants used in capacitors?

The most commonly used dielectric materials in capacitors are ceramic, polyester, polystyrene, and polypropylene. These materials have dielectric constants ranging from 5 to 20, with ceramic having the highest dielectric constant and polypropylene having the lowest.

4. How does temperature affect the dielectric constant of a material?

The dielectric constant of a material is temperature dependent. In most cases, the dielectric constant decreases with an increase in temperature. This is because as the temperature increases, the molecules in the material have more energy and are able to move more freely, reducing the material's ability to store electrical energy.

5. Can the dielectric constant of a material be changed?

Yes, the dielectric constant of a material can be changed by altering its composition or structure. For example, adding impurities or changing the crystal structure can affect the dielectric constant. Additionally, the dielectric constant can also be changed by applying an external electric field, a phenomenon known as the electro-optic effect.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
316
Replies
4
Views
362
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
14
Views
649
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
684
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
18
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
730
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
20
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
1K
Back
Top