Example from Physics, 18.5 Capacitors and Dielectrics

Capacitance and Charge Stored in a Parallel Plate Capacitor (part 1)

(a) What is the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor with metal plates, each of area 1.00 m², separated by 0.0010 m? (b) What charge is stored in this capacitor if a voltage of 3.00 × 10³ V is applied to it?

Work it out on paper first. Then open the solution one step at a time, and stop as soon as you can finish on your own.

Strategy for (a)
Use the equation $C_{0} = ε_{0} \frac{A}{d}$ .
Solution
Solution for (a)

Entering the given values into this equation for the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor yields

$\begin{matrix} C & = & ε_{0} \frac{A}{d} \\ = & (8.85 \times 10^{−12} F/m) \frac{1.00 m^{2}}{0.0010 m} \\ = & 8.9 \times 10^{−9} F \\ = & 8 .9 nF . \end{matrix}$
18.39

0 of 2 steps open

How did it go?

Strategy for (a)

Solution

Strategy for (a)

Solution