A
parallel plate capacitor is a device that consist of two oppositely charge
conducting plates separated by a small distance, which stores charge. When
voltage is applied to the capacitor, usually by connecting it to an energy
source (e.g. a battery) in a circuit, electric charge of equal magnitude, but
opposite
parallel plate capacitor is a device that consist of two oppositely charge
conducting plates separated by a small distance, which stores charge. When
voltage is applied to the capacitor, usually by connecting it to an energy
source (e.g. a battery) in a circuit, electric charge of equal magnitude, but
opposite
polarity, builds up on each plate.
Electric
field between parallel plate capacitor can be created by connecting two
parallel metallic plates to the two terminals of a voltage source as shown in
figure 1 above. The left hand plate becomes positively charged, since the
positive terminal of the voltage source (battery) removes some electrons from
it; and the right hand plate becomes negatively charged since the negative
terminal of the battery forces a surplus of electrons into it. If we now place
a tiny positively – charged particle between the plates, it will move towards
the right hand plate. If the particle has a negative charge, it will move
towards the left hand plate. We can then draw lines to show the paths followed
by the tiny charged particle. These lines represent the direction of action of
the electric force on the charged particle. Hence, we can think of an electric
field between the parallel plate capacitor as consisting of invisible electric
lines of force, where an electric line of force represents the path along which
a weightless electrically charged particle will travel from one electrically
charged plate to another
field between parallel plate capacitor can be created by connecting two
parallel metallic plates to the two terminals of a voltage source as shown in
figure 1 above. The left hand plate becomes positively charged, since the
positive terminal of the voltage source (battery) removes some electrons from
it; and the right hand plate becomes negatively charged since the negative
terminal of the battery forces a surplus of electrons into it. If we now place
a tiny positively – charged particle between the plates, it will move towards
the right hand plate. If the particle has a negative charge, it will move
towards the left hand plate. We can then draw lines to show the paths followed
by the tiny charged particle. These lines represent the direction of action of
the electric force on the charged particle. Hence, we can think of an electric
field between the parallel plate capacitor as consisting of invisible electric
lines of force, where an electric line of force represents the path along which
a weightless electrically charged particle will travel from one electrically
charged plate to another
Since
a positively charged particle can travel only towards the right hand plate and
a negatively charged particle can travel only towards the left hand plate, we
can consider that electric lines of force possess direction. To agree with the
conventional direction for electric current, we assume that the direction in
which a positively charged particle will travel between the two plates.
a positively charged particle can travel only towards the right hand plate and
a negatively charged particle can travel only towards the left hand plate, we
can consider that electric lines of force possess direction. To agree with the
conventional direction for electric current, we assume that the direction in
which a positively charged particle will travel between the two plates.
Although,
we are concerned mainly with the electric field between parallel plates, two
other electric field patterns are of interest to us – the electric field
between concentric conductors as shown in figure 2a and 2b below
we are concerned mainly with the electric field between parallel plates, two
other electric field patterns are of interest to us – the electric field
between concentric conductors as shown in figure 2a and 2b below
As
we have noted, a positively charged particle in the electric field between the
two parallel plates will be repelled by the positive plate and attracted by a
negative plate
we have noted, a positively charged particle in the electric field between the
two parallel plates will be repelled by the positive plate and attracted by a
negative plate
