Why Does a Capacitor's Charge Remain the Same When Voltage is Removed?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Rohan R T
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Capacitor
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

When the voltage supply is removed from a parallel plate capacitor, the charge remains unchanged because the charge has no pathway to dissipate. The dielectric material prevents the charge from moving between the plates, ensuring that the net charge remains constant at zero. It is crucial to understand that the capacitor is considered "energized" only when an external voltage source is applied across its terminals.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of parallel plate capacitor structure
  • Knowledge of dielectric materials and their properties
  • Familiarity with electrical charge concepts
  • Basic principles of voltage and electric fields
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the properties of different dielectric materials used in capacitors
  • Learn about the relationship between voltage, charge, and capacitance
  • Explore the concept of energy storage in capacitors
  • Study the effects of capacitor discharge in various circuits
USEFUL FOR

Electrical engineers, physics students, and anyone interested in understanding capacitor behavior in electronic circuits.

Rohan R T
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
When voltage supply is removed from a parallel plate capacitor, why does the charge remain as before?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Because the charge has nowhere to go. It can't get through the dielectric, and there's no other path to the other plate.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: davenn and CWatters
Rohan R T said:
why does the charge remain as before?

to be a little more specific
The charge on a capacitor never changes, that is, the net charge always = 0

You should get used to using the more correct term of the capacitor being energised
when an external voltage source is applied across the capacitor terminals

Dave
 

Similar threads

High School Do Electrons Completely Leave a Capacitor at T/4 in an LC Circuit?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
818
High School Some Questions about Electric Current/Capacitors to help my understanding
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
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 Capacitor connected to voltage source, vary plate separation
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Graduate An electrolytic capacitor keeps charging by itself
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
Undergrad Prove to me how capacitors in parallel can have the same V across plates
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Undergrad Magnetic field when the area of the plates of a capacitor increases
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Undergrad Is capacitor energy the electrostatic energy of the whole system?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Undergrad Question about Capacitor current and electromagnetic induction
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
2K