Potential Difference Across Capacitor Regions and Work Done

In summary, the given conversation discussed a fully charged parallel plate capacitor with dielectric slabs inserted between the plates. The electric field in each region was found using Gauss Law, with Region 1 having a field of Q/(Aε), Region 2 having a field of Q/A, and Region 3 having a field of Q/(Aε). The potential difference across Region 1 was calculated to be Qd/3(Aε), and the potential difference across Region 2 was also found to be Qd/3A. The overall capacitance of the system was determined to be 3A/d (1/ε + 1/ε)^-1. The work done to insert the dielectrics was calculated to be
  • #1
Ichigo449
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Homework Statement


A parallel plate capacitor of area A and separation d is fully charged so that the charge on the top plate is Q. The battery is disconnected and two dielectric slabs of dielectric constant k are inserted with an air gap between them. Each region takes up one third of the plate separation. (Region 1 has dielectric, 2 has air, and 3 dielectric.) I take ε0 =1 for convenience in writing.
a) Find the electric field in all regions.
b) Find the potential difference across region 1
c) Find potential difference across region 2
d) Find the overall capacitance
e) Find the work done to insert the dielectrics.

Homework Equations


D =σ (Gauss Law with dielectrics), ΔV =Ed, C =εA/s, C_eq = (1/C1 +1/C2 + 1/C3)^-1 for capacitors in series,
W=ΔU=ΔC (ΔV)^2/2, since the parallel plate capacitor is an equipotential.

The Attempt at a Solution


A) From Gauss Law the fields are 1: Q/(Aε),2: Q/A, 3: Q/(Aε).
B) Since ΔV=Ed, this is Qd/3(Aε).
C) As in B) this is Qd/3A.
D) The overall capacitance is 3A/d (1/ε +1ε)^-1.
E) From the given expression for work this is A/d ([1/ε +1/ε]^-1 /3 -1) *(ΔV)^2/2.
 
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  • #2
I'm not sure if this is correct. I'm a bit lost with the last two parts. Any help would be appreciated.
 

1. What is potential difference across capacitor regions?

Potential difference across capacitor regions refers to the difference in electric potential between the two plates of a capacitor. This potential difference is created by the accumulation of charges on the plates, which creates an electric field between them.

2. How is potential difference across capacitor regions calculated?

Potential difference across capacitor regions can be calculated using the equation V = Q/C, where V is the potential difference, Q is the charge on the plates, and C is the capacitance of the capacitor. Alternatively, it can also be calculated as the integral of the electric field between the plates.

3. What is the relationship between potential difference and work done in a capacitor?

The potential difference across a capacitor is directly proportional to the work done in charging or discharging it. This means that the greater the potential difference, the more work is done in transferring charges between the plates of the capacitor.

4. How does the potential difference across capacitor regions affect the energy stored in a capacitor?

The potential difference across capacitor regions is directly related to the energy stored in a capacitor. The energy stored in a capacitor is given by the equation E = 1/2 * CV^2, where C is the capacitance and V is the potential difference. This means that as the potential difference increases, so does the energy stored in the capacitor.

5. How does the dielectric material used in a capacitor affect the potential difference across its regions?

The dielectric material used in a capacitor can significantly affect the potential difference across its regions. The dielectric material acts as an insulator, increasing the capacitance of the capacitor and therefore decreasing the potential difference. This allows for larger amounts of charge to be stored on the plates, resulting in a larger energy storage capacity for the capacitor.

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