Magnetic field and displacement current

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the existence of a magnetic field around a parallel plate capacitor in a vacuum dielectric when subjected to a variable voltage. Participants explore whether a magnetic field can be generated solely by a variable electric field without the presence of moving electrical charges, and they reference relevant equations and concepts from electromagnetism.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if a magnetic field exists around a capacitor in a vacuum dielectric with variable voltage, suggesting that an experiment could demonstrate the sufficiency of a variable electric field to create a magnetic field.
  • Another participant argues that a current is necessary to produce a variable voltage on a capacitor, implying that moving electrical charges are involved.
  • A participant provides an example involving a capacitor with a dielectric, explaining how the displacement current leads to an increase in charge on the capacitor plates to maintain the voltage.
  • There is a reiteration of the previous example, emphasizing the role of dielectric molecules in affecting the electric field and the need for external current.
  • A participant expresses interest in whether a capacitor in a vacuum with a large gap, connected to an AC supply, would generate a magnetic field solely from the variable electric field, referencing Maxwell's equations to support this idea.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessity of moving charges to create a magnetic field, with some asserting that a variable electric field suffices, while others maintain that a current is required. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference Maxwell's equations, but there are no explicit resolutions to the assumptions or dependencies involved in their arguments regarding the generation of magnetic fields in the absence of moving charges.

crx
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Is there really a magnetic field around a capacitors (parallel plate) in vacuum dielectric fed by a variable voltage? Is there an experiment that can prove that we don't need actually a moving electrical charge to create a magnetic field, but a variable electric field in vacuum its enough?
 
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The relation between charge Q and voltage V on a capacitor C is
Q = CV
The derivative is
dQ/dt = I = C dV/dt

So it requires a current I to produce a variable voltage dV/dt on a capacitor. So there is a moving electrical charge around the capacitor.
Bob S
 
Here is an example of the displacement current creating a real current. Take an air capacitor C with gap d and area A. Put and maintain a voltage V on it. So the charge
Q = CV = e0AV/d.
Now insert a dielectric of relative permittivity e and thickness d and area A in the capacitor. Now
Q' = C'V
where C = ee0A/d
There is a current in the external circuit that increases the charge Q on the plates to maintain the voltage V on the capacitor.
Bob S
 
Bob S said:
Here is an example of the displacement current creating a real current. Take an air capacitor C with gap d and area A. Put and maintain a voltage V on it. So the charge
Q = CV = e0AV/d.
Now insert a dielectric of relative permittivity e and thickness d and area A in the capacitor. Now
Q' = C'V
where C = ee0A/d
There is a current in the external circuit that increases the charge Q on the plates to maintain the voltage V on the capacitor.
Bob S

Yes,but this is because of the dielectric molecules are shielding and weakening the electric field, so the capacitor will need more charges to reach the power supply voltage, so there will be a current in the external circuit.
What i would like to know is that if a plate capacitor with no dielectric in vacuum (with a pretty large gap ), connected to a AC supply, will have a magnetic field exactly in the area between the plates where there are no moving charges, but only variable electric field...
 
crx said:
Yes,but this is because of the dielectric molecules are shielding and weakening the electric field, so the capacitor will need more charges to reach the power supply voltage, so there will be a current in the external circuit.
What i would like to know is that if a plate capacitor with no dielectric in vacuum (with a pretty large gap ), connected to a AC supply, will have a magnetic field exactly in the area between the plates where there are no moving charges, but only variable electric field...
From Maxwells equations,
Curl H = sigma E + e e0 dE/dt = e e0/d dV/dt,
so a varying voltage across the capacitor creates a magnetic field, even when the conductivity sigma = 0.
Bob S
 

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