Problem with model answer to exam

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a conceptual question from an exam regarding capacitors, specifically addressing the implications of a capacitor being connected to a battery and the effects on voltage and electric field when energy changes occur.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking, Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between charge, capacitance, and energy in capacitors, questioning the assumption that the capacitor is connected to a battery. Some participants discuss the implications of energy changes and how they relate to the capacitor's configuration.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants expressing differing interpretations of the problem's requirements. Some guidance has been offered regarding the inference that the capacitor is connected to a battery based on the increase in stored energy, but no consensus has been reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the problem does not explicitly state the capacitor's connection to a battery, leading to confusion about the assumptions that must be made. The lack of clarity in the problem statement is acknowledged as a source of difficulty.

madah12
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Homework Statement



http://physics.ku.edu.kw/LectureNotes/TheoryCourses/PHYS102/ExamPapers/y1011-2-md2.pdf

so i just did this exam and they gave us model solutions and I don't agree with conceptual question number 1 the answer should be 2 because it isn't connected to battery therefore voltage should change
and so should electric field
E=(sigma)/k*e_0 , charge is constant k is equal to 2 so it should be halfed
i don't see why they conclude its connected to a battery? it says fully charged so who would connect a fully charged capacitor to a battery also it doesn't say it is connected

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
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The energy stored in a capacitor is given by U_{Stored}=\frac{1}{2}\frac{Q^2}{C}\,.

If the charge on the capacitor is constant and some change is made to the capacitor which doubles the stored energy, that implies that the capacitance is halved. To do this by inserting a dielectric can only be done if a dielectric material of K replaces one of 2K . (That would double the electric field.) However, that goes against goes against the gist of the problem, which seems to imply (without stating so explicitly) that the capacitor initially has no dielectric.
 
This problem seems very confusing.
 
ok i talked to my instructor and he says we were supposed to infer that it was connected to battery because they said energy increases what do you think?
 
yeah i guess well I usually hate it if doctors go well this is so obvious if you can't do this then you don't understand anything.
 

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