For a parallel plate capacitor ______________ possible potential diffe...
Explanation:When a dielectric is introduced between two charged plates of a capacitor having a charge Q and maintained at a potential difference of V, a reverse electric field is set up inside the dielectric due to dielectric polarization.
This reduces the electric field in between the plates. The potential is also reduced. Maximum potential is dependent on the charge on the plates. As the charge remains constant, the presence of the dielectric decreases the maximum potential between the plates.
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For a parallel plate capacitor ______________ possible potential diffe...
Explanation:
A parallel plate capacitor consists of two parallel conducting plates separated by a distance 'd'. When a potential difference is applied across the plates, an electric field is created between them. The electric field lines are perpendicular to the plates and are uniformly distributed.
Effect of a dielectric:
When a dielectric material is inserted between the plates of a capacitor, it affects the electric field and the potential difference between the plates. The dielectric material has a property called permittivity, denoted by 'ε'. The permittivity of a dielectric material is always greater than the permittivity of free space (ε0). The permittivity of the dielectric material determines the ability of the material to store electric charges.
Effect on the potential difference:
When a dielectric material is inserted between the plates of a capacitor, it reduces the electric field between the plates. This reduction in electric field results in a decrease in the potential difference between the plates. Therefore, the dielectric decreases the maximum potential difference that can be applied across the capacitor plates.
To understand this, let's consider the formula for the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor:
C = ε0 * (A/d)
Where C is the capacitance, ε0 is the permittivity of free space, A is the area of the plates, and d is the distance between the plates.
When a dielectric material of permittivity ε is inserted between the plates, the capacitance becomes:
C' = ε * ε0 * (A/d)
The potential difference (V) across the plates is related to the capacitance by the formula:
V = Q/C
Where Q is the charge stored on the plates.
From the above equations, we can see that the capacitance increases when a dielectric material is inserted, which implies a decrease in the potential difference for the same amount of charge stored on the plates. Thus, the dielectric decreases the maximum potential difference between the capacitor plates.
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A': The dielectric decreases the maximum potential difference between the capacitor plates.