If the distance between the plates of a capacitor is halved, what happens to the
Practice Questions
Q1
If the distance between the plates of a capacitor is halved, what happens to the capacitance? (2019)
It doubles
It halves
It remains the same
It quadruples
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If the distance between the plates of a capacitor is halved, what happens to the capacitance? (2019)
Step 1: Understand that capacitance (C) is calculated using the formula C = εA/d, where ε is the permittivity of the material between the plates, A is the area of the plates, and d is the distance between the plates.
Step 2: Identify that if the distance (d) is halved, we can represent this as d/2.
Step 3: Substitute d/2 into the capacitance formula: C = εA/(d/2).
Step 4: Simplify the formula: C = εA/(d/2) = (2 * εA)/d.
Step 5: Notice that this new formula shows that the capacitance (C) has doubled because it is now 2 * (εA/d).
Step 6: Conclude that if the distance between the plates is halved, the capacitance doubles.
Capacitance – Capacitance is the ability of a capacitor to store charge, which is influenced by the area of the plates, the distance between them, and the dielectric material.
Relationship between distance and capacitance – Capacitance is inversely proportional to the distance between the plates; halving the distance increases capacitance.