📚 Theory
The capacitance of a capacitor depends only on the physical properties of the capacitor, such as the capacitor's shape and the material used to separate the plates.
Parallel-Plate Capacitor Formula
The capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor is proportional to the area of one of its plates and inversely proportional to the distance between its plates. The constant of proportionality is the product of the dielectric constant, $\kappa$, of the material between the plates and the electric permittivity of free space, $\varepsilon_0$.
$$C = \kappa \varepsilon_0 \frac{A}{d}$$
Where:
- $C$ = Capacitance (Farads, $\mathrm{F}$)
- $\kappa$ = Dielectric constant (dimensionless)
- $\varepsilon_0$ = Electric permittivity of free space = $8.85 \times 10^{-12}$ $\mathrm{F/m}$
- $A$ = Area of one plate ($\mathrm{m}^2$)
- $d$ = Distance between plates ($\mathrm{m}$)
Dielectric Constants
| Material | Dielectric Constant (κ) |
|---|---|
| Vacuum | 1.0 |
| Air | 1.0006 |
| Paper | 3.5 |
| Glass | 4.5 |
| Mica | 6.0 |
| Water | 80.4 |
| Titanium dioxide | 100 |
🎛️ Capacitor Simulator
Capacitance:
$0$ $\mathrm{F}$
📝 Exercises
Calculate Capacitance
Calculate the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor with the given parameters.
$\mathrm{nF}$
Round your answer to the nearest hundredth.