Dielectric or Piezoelectric: What's the Difference?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the differences between dielectric materials and piezoelectric materials, exploring their properties, behaviors under pressure, and the relationship between the two types of materials. The scope includes conceptual clarification and technical explanation.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that both dielectric and piezoelectric materials can be found between plates and involve polarization and molecular dipoles.
  • One participant asserts that dielectric materials do not generate voltage without an external voltage, while piezoelectric materials can generate voltage when pressure is applied.
  • Another participant states that while piezoelectric materials are typically dielectric, not all dielectric materials exhibit piezoelectric properties.
  • A participant emphasizes that piezoelectric materials maintain their dielectric properties and that the piezoelectric effect is related to the dependence of dielectric polarization on stress.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the relationship between dielectric and piezoelectric materials, but there is some debate regarding the specifics of their properties and behaviors, particularly in terms of voltage generation and the conditions under which these materials operate.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the definitions of dielectric and piezoelectric materials, as well as the conditions under which they generate voltage. There are unresolved nuances regarding the extent to which all dielectric materials can be classified as piezoelectric.

Gunmo
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Hi,

What is the difference between dielectric material and piezoelectric material ?
Even Wikipedia use exactly the same figure for illustration.

I googled,

Both of them is
- material between plates
- polarization, dipole of molecule

As far as I understood from google, When material is pressed between plate
- dielectric material do not create voltage if there is no external voltage.
- piezoelectric material create voltage without external voltage.

Am I correct ?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
A piezoelectric material is dielectric usually. Not all dielectric materials are piezoelectric.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: davenn
Gunmo said:
As far as I understood from google, When material is pressed between plate
- dielectric material do not create voltage if there is no external voltage.
- piezoelectric material create voltage without external voltage.

Am I correct ?
Yes!
 
A piezoelectric material generates a voltage when pressure is applied, and the material is strained (deformed). The reverse can also happen: if a voltage is applied across a piezoelectric material, it deforms. quartz is a very important example of a piezoelectric material.
 
nasu said:
A piezoelectric material is dielectric usually. Not all dielectric materials are piezoelectric.
However a piezoelectric does not stop being a dielectric as well. The two proprties are not mutually exclusive.
 
nasu said:
However a piezoelectric does not stop being a dielectric as well. The two proprties are not mutually exclusive.
I agree. In fact the piezoelectric property is the dependence of the dielectric polarization on stress.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Quartz Dielectric in Capacitors: What Happens?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
5K
High School Rotating Capacitor: Concentrating energy using accessible technology
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Graduate What is the weird field in dielectrics?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Undergrad How does electron in a piezoelectric material flow to produce electric
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
Graduate Moving electric field effect on dielectric/gas
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate How does dielectric heating actually work?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Undergrad A change in the dielectric constant changes the current or voltage?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
4K
Why can we model spherical capacitor with two dielectrics as two capacitors in series?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Undergrad Structural difference between soft and hard ferromagnets
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Graduate What's the Difference Between Prolate and Oblate Holes?
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
5K