Cylindrical Capacitors and Electric Fields

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to cylindrical capacitors, electric fields, and electrical principles relevant to exam preparation.

Cylindrical Capacitor

A capacitor with conducting terminals arranged in cylindrical shapes, typically having a varying radius.

Gaussian Surface

A closed surface used in Gauss's law to calculate electric fields based on symmetry.

Electric Field Intensity (E)

A measure of the force per unit charge experienced by a stationary charge in an electric field.

Current Density (J)

The amount of electric current flowing per unit area of a conductor.

Permittivity (ε)

A measure of how much electric field is 'permitted' to pass through a material; critical for capacitor function.

Conductivity (σ)

A material property that quantifies how easily electric current can flow through a material.

Potential Difference (V)

The difference in electric potential between two points in an electric circuit, fundamental for capacitor function.

Line Charge Density (λ)

The amount of electric charge per unit length along a line, important for understanding cylindrical charge distributions.

Resistance (R)

A measure of the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit, crucial for capacitor effectiveness.

Volume Charge Density (ρ)

The amount of electric charge per unit volume, important for relating charge and electric fields in capacitors.