Practical 6

To study the capacitance and dielectric

Objective:
To understand how capacitor works
To investigate capacitor in series and parallel
To demonstrate the effect of dielectric in capacitor

Procedure:

1. Go to website: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/capacitor-lab
2. Click download or run button.
3. Run the simulations and follow the instructions below to answer the questions
provided.

Part A - INTRODUCTION

1) Using the default separation and plate area, adjust the battery between -1.5 V and 1.5 V.
Write down your observations.
When V=0v , no charge flow in the circuit ,therefore , not charge stire in the capacitor.As
Voltage increase, more charge being store inside the capacitor.If the polarity of the battery
change, from 1.5 to -1.5V, the charge stire will be opposite.

2) Now connect the meter marked Plate Charge, and the Voltmeter Youll need to
connect the voltmeter to the plates and plate charge. Make three measurements of
Charge Q, and the corresponding voltage V. Used equations to determined value of
Capacitance.

Q /coulombs 0 0.66x10^-13 1.33x10^-13

V/volts 0 0.75 1.5

Capacitance / F unknown 8.8x10^-14 8.86x10^-13

 3) To investigate what happens when we change the dimensions of our capacitor. Used
battery +1.5V, click capacitance, charge, electric field and voltmeter to determine the
value below.

(a) Vary the area of the plates by maintaining the distance 10mm

Area, A Capacitance, F Charge, Q Electric Voltage, V

(mm2) Field, E
100 0.89x10^-13 1.33x10^-13 150 1.5
200 1.77x10^-13 2.66x10^-13 150 1.5
300
400

(i) How does the Capacitance and the charge vary with area A?
Area increase, the Cincrease , so charge store will increase as
well.
(ii) Does the voltage change?
No.
(iii) Does the electric field change? What is the direction of
electric field?
No.towards the ve plate.
(b) Vary the separation of the plates by maintain the area 100mm2.
Distance, d Capacitance, F Charge, Q Electric Voltage, V
2
(mm ) Field, E
10
8
6
4
2
(i) How does the Capacitance and the charge vary with area A?
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(ii) Does the voltage change?
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(iii) Does the electric field change? What is the direction of
electric field?
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(c) Write down an expression for the capacitance of a parallel capacitor, and
calculate the constant of proportionality, 0.
4) Now were going to investigate what happens when we change the dimensions of our
capacitor. Firstly, disconnect the battery. The voltmeter need to place at the capacitor.
The plate charge drag to lots (+).

(a) Vary the area of the plates by maintaining the distance 10mm.
Area, A Capacitance, F Charge, Q Electric Voltage
2
(mm ) Field, E
100 0.89x10^-13 0.53x10^-11 6000 60
200 1.77x10^-13 0.53x10^-11 2997 29.97
300
400
(i) How does the Capacitance and the charge vary with area A?
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(ii) Does the voltage change?
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(iii) Does the electric field change? What is the direction of
electric field?
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(b) Vary the separation of the plates by maintaining the area of the plate 100mm2.
Distance, d Capacitance, F Charge, Q Electric Voltage, V
(mm2) Field, E
10
8
6
4
2
(i) How does the Capacitance and the charge vary with area A?
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(ii) Does the voltage change?
 _________________________________________________
(iii) Does the electric field change? What is the direction of
electric field?
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(c) What is the difference between you connect with the battery and
disconnect with the battery?
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Part B
1)Click Dielectric tab.

2) To investigate what happens when we change the dimensions of our

capacitor with dielectric. The separations and area constant at 10mm and
100mm2.
(a) Click capacitance, plate of charge, voltmeter and electric field
detector. Used +1.5 V of battery. Fill in the table below.

Dielectric Values of Capacitance, Charge, Electric Voltage, V

Dielectric F Q Field, E
,k
Offset
Custom
Teflon
Paper
Glass
(i) What does dielectric mostly made from?
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(ii) Does the voltage change as the dielectric change?
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(iii) Does high value of k effect the voltage and the electric field of the
capacitor.
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(iv) Conclude the purpose of inserting dielectric between the plate of the
capacitor.
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Part C
 1) Click Multiple capacitors choice tab.
2) Click plate charges, total capacitance, store charge, voltmeter, used 1.5V
of battery and 1x10-13F of capacitance. (voltmeter can arrange according to
witch capacitor that you wanted to get the Voltage value)
3) Filled in the blank and answer the questions provided.
Capacito
r
Single C1
V C Q

2 in C1 C2
series V C Q V C Q

3 in C1 C2 C3
series V C Q V C Q V C Q

2 in C1 C2
parallel V C Q V C Q

3 in C1 C2 C3
parallel V C Q V C Q V C Q

2 in C1 C2 C3
series +1 V C Q V C Q V C Q
in
parallel
2 parallel C1 C2 C3
+1 in V C Q V C Q V C Q
series
(a) Which have the largest equivalent capacitor?
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(b) Does the voltage and the charge in capacitor 3 in series always same?
Explain.
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(c) If the capacitor in the 2 in series the value of C2 changes to 2x10-13F ,
will the it effect the Q and V?
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(d) Does the voltage and the charge in capacitor 3 in parallel always same?
Explain.
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(e) If the capacitor in the 2 in parallel the value of C2 changes to 2x10-13F ,
will the it effect the Q and V?
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(f) What is the advantages and disadvantages having Capacitor in series and
parallel?
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