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More on Filled Capacitors

  • An electric field E exerts a torque on an electric dipole of diploe moment p. The torque is p*E*sin(theta), where theta is the angle between the E-field and the dipole moment vector. The torque tends to align the dipole with the field.
  • The potential energy of an electric dipole placed in an electric field is

    U = –p.E = -p*E*cos(theta).

  • When a parallel plate capacitor is filled with a dielectric (insulator) of dielectric constant K, the dielectric becomes polarized (a dipole moment is induced in the dielectric). This, in turn, causes a reduction in the value of E by K, and a corresponding increase in the value of the capacitance by K.
  • Examples that show how to calculate the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor if it is partially filled with a metal or a dielectric are given in the lecture.

More on Filled Capacitors

Lecture Slides are screen-captured images of important points in the lecture. Students can download and print out these lecture slide images to do practice problems as well as take notes while watching the lecture.

AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism