Text: Part 4: Voltage and Electric Field
For Part 4, you will be investigating the role of the electric field in capacitance.
1. Connect the power supply across the capacitor and record its value V (in volts).
2. Record the value of the distance d (in meters) between the plates of the capacitor.
3. Use the formula V = Ed to determine the electric field (E) between the plates.
4. Calculate the charge Q (in coulombs) of the capacitor using the formula E = Q/Aε0.
5. Compare the value of charge with the value shown from PhET.
C (F)
V (V)
d (m)
E (V/m)
A (m^2)
Q
PhET:
1.5
0.01
150
0.10
0.89 * 10^-13
Calculations:
1.5
0.01
150
0.10
0.89 * 10^-13
6. Use the simulation to take the stored energy for 10 different electric field values.
7. Record them in the table below. Also, record the stored energy.
8. Import the data to Excel and prove that the electric field density is proportional to E^2.
E (V/m)
U (J)