10.7: Capacitors

When we insert something in between a capacitor, increasing its capacitance, it is a dielectric (insulator) , the ratio of the charge to the electric potential increases.

Dielectric

It makes an electric field that counteracts and reduces the electric field between the plates.

• The dielectric constant (k) is unique to the material. It is used to determine the capacitance WITH a dielectric between the two plates.

k has to be greater than 1 in order for the increase in capacitance to occur.