What force holds together like charges in a capacitor, or a battery

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the forces that maintain the stability of like charges within a capacitor or battery. It is established that while like charges repel each other, they remain in place due to the electrostatic forces generated by the electric field created by opposite charges on capacitor plates. When a potential difference is applied, such as from a battery or generator, it facilitates the movement of charges, allowing for increased charge accumulation on the plates. The electrochemical reaction in batteries and the energy source in generators are critical in sustaining these charges.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electrostatics and electric fields
  • Familiarity with capacitors and their charging mechanisms
  • Knowledge of battery operation and electrochemical reactions
  • Basic principles of voltage and potential difference
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of electrostatics and electric fields
  • Learn about capacitor charging and discharging cycles
  • Study the electrochemical processes in batteries
  • Explore the role of voltage in electrical circuits
USEFUL FOR

Electronics students, electrical engineers, and anyone interested in understanding the behavior of charges in capacitors and batteries.

torxxx
Messages
15
Reaction score
1
I was wondering what force hold together like charges in capacitor, battery...

we have a capacitor having two oppositely -charged plates so my question is what holds the electrons with electrons in one plate and what holds protons with protons in other plate since like charges repel each other .

Thanks in advance.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
If you provide the charges some way to get from one side to the other they do that. A cable is the most common type of connection. If they don't have a way to go from one side to the other they just stay where they are. If you apply a sufficiently large potential you can even push more like charges on the plates, charging the capacitor more.
 
torxxx said:
my question is what holds the electrons with electrons in one plate and what holds protons with protons in other plate since like charges repel each other
Whatever force causes the voltage that charges the capacitor. If it is charged by a battery then the force of the electrochemical reaction. If it is a generator then the force of whatever is powering the generator.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Parallel plate capacitor, charge imbalance VS charge redistribution
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Undergrad Charging Capacitor with one terminal grounded
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
Undergrad Do the plates of the capacitor exert a force on each other?
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
2K
Undergrad Capacitor surface charge movement current, relativistic effects
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Undergrad Is capacitor energy the electrostatic energy of the whole system?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Undergrad Can current flow in an open circuit?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Undergrad Plate capacitor connected to a battery (what does a battery do)
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
Graduate Force on a capacitor plate as the derivative of the energy -- is it a fluke?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Undergrad Gauss' law, method of images, and force induced on conductor plates
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
2K
Undergrad Capacitor connected to battery at one end
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K