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Determining Permitivity and Force Between Parallel Plates

This document describes an experiment to determine the permittivity of free space and measure the force between parallel charged plates of a capacitor. The experiment involves measuring the force as a function of voltage at constant plate separation, and also measuring force at constant ratios of voltage to plate distance. The theoretical background discusses how capacitance, voltage, and charge relate for a parallel plate capacitor based on the electric field and potential difference between the plates. The method section then outlines the specific experimental procedure, which involves adjusting the plate separation and voltage while measuring the resulting force.

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191 views2 pages

Determining Permitivity and Force Between Parallel Plates

This document describes an experiment to determine the permittivity of free space and measure the force between parallel charged plates of a capacitor. The experiment involves measuring the force as a function of voltage at constant plate separation, and also measuring force at constant ratios of voltage to plate distance. The theoretical background discusses how capacitance, voltage, and charge relate for a parallel plate capacitor based on the electric field and potential difference between the plates. The method section then outlines the specific experimental procedure, which involves adjusting the plate separation and voltage while measuring the resulting force.

Uploaded by

Tumzangwana
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Physics: Static and Dynamic Electromagnetism

PHY002B2
Experiment 9: Determining Permittivity and Force between two parallel plates

Aim:
- Determine the permittivity of free space by measuring the force between charged plates of
a parallel plate a plate capacitor as function of the potential at a constant distance of the
plates
- To measure the force as a function of ratio of the potential and distance.
Theory:
Any arrangement of two conductors separated by an electric insulator (i.e., dielectric) is a capacitor.
An electric charge deposited on one of the conductors induces an equal charge of opposite polarity
on the other conductor. As a result, an electric field exists between the two conductor surfaces and
there is a potential difference between them [1].

Figure 1: Capacitance between to charged plates
The electric field anywhere between the conductor surfaces is directly proportional to the
magnitude of the charge Q on the conductors. And the potential difference V is also directly
proportional to the charge Q. The ratio Q/V is thus a constant for any electric field distribution as
determined by the shape of the conductors, the distance of separation, and the dielectric in which
the field exists. The potential difference between the two conductors can be expressed in terms of
the work done on a positive test charge when it moves from the positive to the negative conductor
[2].

(1)
Therefore (1) becomes
(2)
Solving for Q yields

(3)
As the conductors are oppositely charged, so the attractive force (F) between the two conductors is
equal to the electric field produced by one of the conductors times the charge on the other [3]:

(4)
The student will use some of the parameters that can be directly measured and determine the
permittivity of free space.



Method:

Figure 2: Experimental Set-up
1. The Force as function of the voltage
- Set the distance between the capacitor plates to a distance of 10 mm.
- Adjust the screening ring to the same height as the capacitor.
- Switch on the high voltage supply and set the potential at 2 kV.
- Record the force. Increase the high voltage in steps of 0.5 kV up to 5 kV. In each case, document
the force as function of the input voltage.
- Adjust the plates so that the distance between the plates is 20 mm. Also adjust the screening ring
to the same height as the capacitor. Repeat the experiment above.
2. The force at a constant ratio between the voltage and the distance between the plates
- Ensure that the plated distance d = 20mm. Set the high voltage to 5 kV and record the force.
- Set the plate distance to 16 mm. Also adjust the screening ring to the same height as the capacitor.
Set the high voltage to 4 kV. Note the force.
- Repeat the experiment at V = 3 kV, d 12 mm and at V = 2 kV and d = 8 mm.


References:
[1] Dorf, Richard C.; Svoboda, James A. (2001). Introduction to Electric Circuits, New York, John Wiley
& Sons
[2] Purcell, Edward; Morin, David. (2013). Electricity and Magnetism, New York, Cambridge
[3] C. Sheppard, Physics 2A Practical Guide, 2014

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