Insights Blog
-- Browse All Articles --
Physics Articles
Physics Tutorials
Physics Guides
Physics FAQ
Math Articles
Math Tutorials
Math Guides
Math FAQ
Education Articles
Education Guides
Bio/Chem Articles
Technology Guides
Computer Science Tutorials
Forums
Intro Physics Homework Help
Advanced Physics Homework Help
Precalculus Homework Help
Calculus Homework Help
Bio/Chem Homework Help
Engineering Homework Help
Trending
Featured Threads
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Intro Physics Homework Help
Advanced Physics Homework Help
Precalculus Homework Help
Calculus Homework Help
Bio/Chem Homework Help
Engineering Homework Help
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
Homework Help
Introductory Physics Homework Help
Final potential difference of a 2 capacitor system
Reply to thread
Message
[QUOTE="Zack K, post: 6127287, member: 586916"] [h2]Homework Statement [/h2] An isolated parallel-plate capacitor of area ##A_1## with an air gap of length ##s_1## is charged up to a potential difference ##\Delta V_1## A second parallel-plate capacitor, initially uncharged, has an area ##A_2## and a gap of length ##s_2## filled with plastic whose dielectric constant is ##K##. You connect a wire from the positive plate of the first capacitor to one of the plates of the second capacitor, and you connect another wire from the negative plate of the first capacitor to the other plate of the second capacitor. What is the final potential difference across the first capacitor? [h2]Homework Equations[/h2] ##\Delta V=V_B - V_A## ##\Delta V=-\vec E \Delta r## ##U_{electric}=Q\Delta V## [h2]The Attempt at a Solution[/h2] My 2 main problems are: 1) I'm not sure what the potential of the second capacitor is compared to the first one when connected by a wire. I know that since we have a conductors, charge will transfer on to the second capacitor. I'm assuming that the charge capacitor 1 and 2 will equal the total charge of the system. I think that the charge on the second capacitor will be less than of the first, since everything in the universe likes to travel in the path of least resistance (not sure if that's the case for this type of problem though). I know that ##\Delta V_2## is less than ##\Delta V_1## since we have a dielectric in the middle which would decrease it's net electric field, and therefor it's ##\Delta V##. 2) Given the above, I'm not sure how to relate these 2 capacitors in terms of an equation. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Post reply
Forums
Homework Help
Introductory Physics Homework Help
Final potential difference of a 2 capacitor system
Back
Top