What is the potential difference across the capacitor if the spacing between the plates is 3.00 mm?
The correct answer and explanation is:
To calculate the potential difference across a capacitor when the spacing between the plates is 3.00 mm, we can use the formula for the electric field EE inside a parallel plate capacitor: E=VdE = \frac{V}{d}
where:
- VV is the potential difference across the capacitor,
- dd is the separation between the plates (3.00 mm in this case),
- EE is the electric field between the plates.
Rearranging this formula to solve for VV: V=E×dV = E \times d
However, we need additional information to calculate the potential difference, such as the magnitude of the electric field or the capacitance of the capacitor. The electric field depends on the charge on the plates and the area of the plates, and for a vacuum or air between the plates, it’s typically constant. If the electric field is not provided, we would need either the charge on the plates or the capacitance to proceed.
If we are given the capacitance of the capacitor, the potential difference can be determined using the relationship between charge, capacitance, and voltage: Q=C×VQ = C \times V
where:
- QQ is the charge on the capacitor,
- CC is the capacitance,
- VV is the potential difference.
Thus, if the capacitance and charge are known, we can directly calculate the potential difference. Without these specific values, it’s impossible to calculate the exact potential difference across the capacitor, as we are missing essential parameters like capacitance, charge, or electric field strength.