A device that is designed to store energy when it holds a specific charge is called a capacitor. (i) Describe an experiment to demonstrate that a charged capacitor stores energy. A parallel-plate capacitor has a dielectric of permittivity ε and its plates have an area of overlap A. Voltage V is applied across the plates such that the capacitor stores energy W. (ii) In terms of some or all of the symbols given, write an expression for (a) the charge on each plate of the capacitor, (b) the distance between the plates.

Leaving Cert Physics Potential Difference & Capacitance: A device that is designed to sto

A device that is designed to store energy when it holds a specific charge is called a capacitor - Leaving Cert Physics - Question b - 2022

Question b

A device that is designed to store energy when it holds a specific charge is called a capacitor. (i) Describe an experiment to demonstrate that a charged capacitor ... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:A device that is designed to store energy when it holds a specific charge is called a capacitor - Leaving Cert Physics - Question b - 2022

Step 1

Describe an experiment to demonstrate that a charged capacitor stores energy.

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Answer

To demonstrate that a charged capacitor stores energy, one can conduct the following experiment:

Materials Needed: A parallel-plate capacitor, a power supply (battery), and a light bulb or buzzer.
Charging the Capacitor: Connect the capacitor to the battery. This will allow the capacitor to charge. The light bulb should be off at this point, indicating that the capacitor is storing energy.
Discharging the Capacitor: After sufficient charging time, disconnect the battery. Then, connect the leads of the charged capacitor to the light bulb or buzzer.
Observation: The light bulb will illuminate or the buzzer will sound, demonstrating that energy stored in the capacitor is being released. This shows that a charged capacitor can indeed store energy.

Step 2

In terms of some or all of the symbols given, write an expression for (a) the charge on each plate of the capacitor.

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Answer

The charge (Q) on each plate of the capacitor can be expressed in terms of the energy (W) stored and the voltage (V) across the plates as follows:

$Q = 2W/V$

This formula indicates that the charge is directly proportional to the energy stored and inversely proportional to the voltage.

Step 3

In terms of some or all of the symbols given, write an expression for (b) the distance between the plates.

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Answer

The distance (d) between the plates of the capacitor can be derived using the permittivity (ε), area of overlap (A), and the energy (W). The expression is:

$d = \frac{\varepsilon A}{2W}$

This indicates the relationship between the distance, permittivity, area, and the energy stored in the capacitor.

A device that is designed to store energy when it holds a specific charge is called a capacitor - Leaving Cert Physics - Question b - 2022

Worked Solution & Example Answer:A device that is designed to store energy when it holds a specific charge is called a capacitor - Leaving Cert Physics - Question b - 2022

Describe an experiment to demonstrate that a charged capacitor stores energy.

In terms of some or all of the symbols given, write an expression for (a) the charge on each plate of the capacitor.

In terms of some or all of the symbols given, write an expression for (b) the distance between the plates.

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