How Does Changing Capacitor Characteristics Affect Its Capacitance?

In summary, capacitance is a property of capacitors that is affected by various factors. When the charge on the plate doubles, the capacitance increases. When the potential difference across the plates triples, the capacitance decreases. When the distance between the plates is halved, the capacitance increases. When the area of the plates is doubled, the capacitance increases. When the electric field is reduced by half, the capacitance remains the same. Also, charging a parallel plate capacitor requires no work if the charges placed on the two plates are equal and opposite, as long as the capacitance remains the same. However, when discharging a capacitor through a resistance, the energy for heating the resistance comes from the capacitor itself, even though charging
  • #1
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Please help! Capacitance question!

Does the capacitance increase, decrease, or stay the same if:

1. the charge on the plate doubles?
2. the potential difference across the plates triples?
3. the distance between the plates is halved?
4. area of the plates is doubled?
5. electric field is reduced by half.



My answers are

1. increases
2. decreases
3. increases
4. increases
5. same

Are these correct?

Also, True or false: "Charging a parallel plate capacitor requires no work provided the charges placed on the two plates are equal and opposite." Provide appropriate reasoning.
 
Last edited:
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  • #2


The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is equal to

[tex] \frac {\epsilon A} {d} [/tex]

where [itex] \epsilon [/itex] is a property of the dielectric between the plates, and A and d are the area of the plates and the distance between the plates. As long as none of these change, the capacitance doesn't change either, so a and b are wrong.


part 2.
When you discharge a capacitor through a resistance, where comes the energy for the
heating of the resistance come from? How can a capacitor contain energy if charging it
takes no work?
 

1. What is capacitance?

Capacitance is the ability of a capacitor to store electric charge. It is a measure of the amount of electrical energy stored in a capacitor per unit of voltage applied.

2. How is capacitance calculated?

Capacitance is calculated by dividing the charge stored in a capacitor by the applied voltage. It is also affected by the size, shape, and material of the capacitor.

3. What units are used to measure capacitance?

The SI unit for capacitance is the farad (F), named after the scientist Michael Faraday. However, smaller units like microfarads (μF) and picofarads (pF) are also commonly used.

4. What is the role of capacitance in electronic circuits?

Capacitors are essential components in electronic circuits. They can store energy, filter out unwanted frequencies, and regulate voltage levels in a circuit.

5. How can I increase the capacitance of a capacitor?

The capacitance of a capacitor can be increased by using a larger surface area, decreasing the distance between the plates, and selecting a material with a higher dielectric constant. Connecting capacitors in parallel can also increase the overall capacitance.

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