Dielectric Materials

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Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

College of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering


Electrical & Computer Engineering Department

Electrical Materials and Technology (EEEg-3093)

Chapter Five
Dielectric Materials
Dielectric Materials

Outline:
 Introduction
 Basic Terminologies in Dielectrics
 Dielectric Polarization
 Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization
 Dielectric Strength
 Ferroelectricity and Paraelectricity
 Classification of Dielectric Materials
 Application Dielectric Materials

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 2


Introduction

 A dielectric material is an electrical insulator that can be


polarized by an applied electric field.

 When a dielectric is placed in an electric field, electric


charges do not flow through the material as they do in a
conductor, but only slightly shift from their average
equilibrium positions causing dielectric polarization.

 Because of dielectric polarization, positive charges are


displaced toward the field and negative charges shift in the
opposite direction.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 3


Introduction……

 This creates an internal electric field that reduces the


overall field within the dielectric itself.

 If a dielectric is composed of weakly bonded molecules,


those molecules not only become polarized, but also
reorient so that their symmetry axes align to the field.

 The study of dielectric properties concerns storage and


dissipation of electric and magnetic energy in materials.

 Dielectrics are important for explaining various phenomena


in electronics, optics and solid-state physics.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 4


Introduction……

 Dielectric typically means materials with a high polarizability


where as the term insulator implies low electrical conduction.
 The term insulator is generally used to indicate electrical
obstruction while the term dielectric is used to indicate the
energy storing capacity of the material by means of
polarization.
 A perfect dielectric is a material with zero electrical
conductivity, thus exhibiting only a displacement current.
 A perfect dielectric stores and returns electrical energy as if
it were an ideal capacitor.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 5


Basic Terminologies in Dielectrics

i. Electric Field

 The region around the charge within which its effect is felt
or experienced is known as electric field.

 The electric field is assumed to consist of imaginary


electric lines of force.

 These lines of force originate from the positive charges


and terminate to the negative charges .

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 6


Basic Terminologies in Dielectrics……

ii. Electric field strength or electric field intensity

 Electric field strength at any point is defined as the force


experienced by a unit positive charge placed at a point.
F V
 It is denoted by E and is given by: E  
q d
 Its SI unit is Newton/Coulomb or Volt/meter (i.e., N/C or V/m).

 The electric field strength around a positive charge +q at a


distance r is given by: E  q
4 0 r 2

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 7


Basic Terminologies in Dielectrics……

iii. Electric flux density or electric displacement vector

 It is defined as the number of electric lines of force passing


normally through a unit area of cross section in the field.

 It is denoted by D and is given by:

D  E   0 r E
 Its SI unit is Coulomb/square meter (C/m2).

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 8


Basic Terminologies in Dielectrics……

iv. Permittivity

 Permittivity of a given medium indicates the degree to


which the medium can resist the flow of electric charge and
is always greater than unity.

 It is defined as the ratio of electric displacement vector D in


a dielectric medium to the applied electric field strength E.

 Mathematically the permittivity is:


D
D  E 
E
 Its SI unit is Farad /meter (F/m).
Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 9
Basic Terminologies in Dielectrics……

Vacuum permittivity :

 This is the permittivity of free space.

 It is denoted by ε0 and has a constant value of:

10 9
0   8.85 *10 12 F / m
36

 This constant relates the units for electric charge to


mechanical quantities such as length and force.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 10


Basic Terminologies in Dielectrics……

Relative permittivity :

 The relative permittivity or dielectric constant εr of a


material determines its dielectric characteristics.

 It is the ratio of the permittivity of the medium and the


permittivity of free space (vacuum permittivity).


   0 r   r 
0

 Relative permittivity is a dimensionless quantity.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 11


Basic Terminologies in Dielectrics……

v. Electric susceptibility
 The electric susceptibility χe of a dielectric material is a
measure of how easily it polarizes in response to an electric
field.
 It is a dimensionless proportionality constant that indicates
the degree of polarization of a dielectric material in
response to an applied electric field.
 The greater the electric susceptibility, the greater the
ability of a material to polarize in response to the field, and
thereby reduce the total electric field inside the material.
Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 12
Dielectric Polarization

 We know that an atom is electrically neutral.

 Furthermore, the centre of the negative charge of the


electrons coincides with the positive nuclear charge, which
means that the atom has no net dipole moment.

 However, when this atom is placed in an external electric


field, the centre of the positive charge is displaced along
the field direction while the centre of the negative charge
is displaced in the opposite direction.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 13


Dielectric Polarization……

 The polarization P is related to the electric flux density D as:

D   0 E  P, but D   0  r E

Thus, we will get :

 0 r E   0 E  P  P   0 E   0 r E
 P   0 ( r  1) E

 The polarization P is proportional to the applied electric field


intensity E and it is in the same direction of E.

 It can be written as: P   0 e E

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 14


Dielectric Polarization……

 The electric susceptibility of a medium is related to its


relative permittivity by:

e   r 1   r  1  e

 For free space (vacuum), the relative permittivity is:

r 1
 So, in the case of a free space (vacuum), the electric
susceptibility will be:

e  0

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 15


Examples on Dielectric Polarization

Example-1:

The electric field intensity in polystyrene (εr = 2.55) filling the


space between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor is 10 kV/m.
The distance between the plates is 1.5 mm. Calculate the:

a. electric flux density

b. polarization

c. potential difference between the plates

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 16


Examples on Dielectric Polarization……

Solution:
10 9
a. D   0  r E  D  * 2.55 * 10 4
36
 D  225.4 nC / m 2

10 9
b. P   e  0 E  P  * 1.55 * 10 4
36
 P  137 nC / m 2

c. V  Ed  V  10 4 * 1.5 * 10 3

V  15 V

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 17


Examples on Dielectric Polarization……

Example-2:

A dielectric sphere (εr = 5.7) of radius 10 cm has a point charge


2 pC placed at its center. Calculate the:

a. electric field strength

b. electric flux density

c. polarization

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 18


Examples on Dielectric Polarization……

Solution:
Q 36 * 2 * 10 12
a.. E  E
4 0  r r 2 4 * 10 9 * 5.7 * 10  2

 E  0.3158 V / m

5.7 * 0.3158 * 10 9
b. D   0  r E D
36
 D  15.924 pC / m 2

4.7 * 0.3158 * 10 9
c. P   0  e E P ,  e   r  1  4.7
36
 P  13.13 pC / m 2

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 19


Examples on Dielectric Polarization……

Example-3:

In a dielectric material, Ex=5 V/m and P= (3i-j+4k) nC/m2.


Calculate:

a. χe

b. εr

c. E

d. D

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 20


Examples on Dielectric Polarization……

Solution:
a. P   0  e E  Px   0  e E x

Px
 e 
 0 Ex

36 * 3 * 10 9 36 * 3
 e  
10 * 5 * 10 9
50
  e  2.16

b.  e   r  1   r   e  1  2.16  1

  r  3.16

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 21


Examples on Dielectric Polarization……

P
c. P   0  e E  E 
 0e

36 * 10 9
E 3i  j  4k  *10 9
10 * 2.16
 E  5i  1.67 j  6.67 k V / m

10 9 * 3.16
d . D   0 r E  D  5i  1.67 j  6.67k 
36
 D  139.7i  46.6 j  186.3k 

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 22


Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization

 Dielectric polarization is the displacement of charged


particles under the action of an external electric field.
 Several microscopic mechanisms are responsible for
dielectric polarization.
 The four main types of microscopic polarization
mechanisms are:
• Electronic polarization
• Ionic polarization
• Orientation polarization and
• Space-charge polarization
Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 23
Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization......

i. Electronic Polarization

 Electronic polarization occurs due to the displacement of


positively charged nucleus and negatively charged
electrons in opposite directions, when an external electric
field is applied, and thereby a dipole moment is created in
the dielectric.

 Monoatomic gases exhibit this kind of polarization.

 Electronic polarizability is proportional to the volume of the


atoms and is independent of temperature.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 24


Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization......

ii. Ionic Polarization


 Ionic polarization arises due to the displacement of -ve
ions and +ve ions in opposite directions and it occurs in
ionic solids in the presence of electric field.
 The displacement is independent of temperature.
Example: NaCl crystal
- + - +

Cl Na x2 x1

Fig. (a) Without field (b) With field

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 25


Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization......

iii. Orientation Polarization

 The orientation polarization arises due to the presence of


polar molecule in the dielectric medium.

Fig. (a) Without field (b) With field

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 26


Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization......

 In the case of a CH3Cl molecule, the positive and negative


charges do not coincide.

 The Cl- has more electro negativity than hydrogen.

 Thus, the chlorine atoms pull the bonded electrons


towards them more strongly than hydrogen atoms.

 Therefore, even in the absence of field, there exists a net


dipole moment.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 27


Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization......

 Now, when the field is applied, positive portion align along


the direction of field and negative portion align in the
opposite direction of the field.

 This kind of polarization is known as orientation


polarization.

 This depends on temperature, i.e., when temperature is


increased, the thermal energy tends to randomize the
alignment

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 28


Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization......

iv. Space-Charge Polarization

 The space-charge polarization occurs due to the diffusion


of ions, along the field direction, thereby giving rise to
redistribution of charges in the dielectrics.

Fig. (a) Without field (b) With field

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 29


Mechanisms of Dielectric Polarization......

 Without the application of external field, the ions are


orderly arranged as shown in the figure above.

 Now, when the field is applied, the ions diffuse with


respect to the direction of applied field.

 Thus, the polarization that occurred is known as space


charge polarization.

 Normally, this type of polarization occurs in ferrites and


semiconductors and will be very small.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 30


Dielectric Strength

 When the electric field in a dielectric is sufficiently large, it


begins to pull electrons completely out of the molecules,
and the dielectric becomes conducting.

 Dielectric breakdown is said to have occurred when a


dielectric becomes conducting.

 Dielectric breakdown occurs in all kinds of dielectric


materials (gases, liquids, or solids) and depends on the
nature of the material, temperature, humidity, and the
amount of time that the field is applied.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 31


Dielectric Strength……

 The minimum value of the electric field at which dielectric


breakdown occurs is called the dielectric strength of the
dielectric material.

 In other words, the dielectric strength is the maximum


electric field that a dielectric can tolerate or withstand
without breakdown.

 The SI unit of dielectric strength is volts per meter (V/m).

 It is also common to see related units such as volts per


centimeter (V/cm), megavolts per meter (MV/m).

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 32


Dielectric Strength……

Factors affecting dielectric strength:


 Dielectric strength increases slightly with increased sample
thickness.
 Dielectric strength decreases with increased operating
temperature.
 Dielectric strength decreases with increased frequency.
 For gases (e.g. nitrogen, sulfur hexafluoride), dielectric
strength normally decreases with increased humidity.
 For air, dielectric strength increases slightly as humidity
increases.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 33


Dielectric Strength……

Fig. Dielectric constants and dielectric strengths of various materials

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 34


Dielectric Strength……

Example:

A parallel-plate capacitor has plates of dimensions 2 cm by 3 cm


separated by a 1 mm thickness of paper. Find the:

a. capacitance of the parallel-plate capacitor.

b. maximum voltage that can be applied across the


capacitor before dielectric breakdown.

c. maximum charge that can be placed on the capacitor.

d. the maximum energy that can be stored in the capacitor.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 35


Dielectric Strength……

Solution:
a. Using the above table, the dielectric constant of paper is ,  r  3.7

 r 0 A 3.7 x 8.85 x 10 12 x 6 x 10  4 12


C  3
 20 x10 F
d 1 x 10
 C  20 pF

b. The maximum voltage that can be applied across the capacitor

before breakdown is given by :

Vmax  E max d , but E max  16 x 10 6 V / m (from the above table)

 Vmax  E max d  (16 x 10 6 V / m) x (1 x1 0 3 m)  16 x 10 3 V  16 kV

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 36


Dielectric Strength……

c. The maximum charge that can be placed on the capacitor is :


Qmax  CVmax

 ( 20 x 10 12 F)( 16 x 10 3 V)
 Qmax  0.32 C

d . The maximum energy that can be stored in the capacitor is :

(0.32 x10 6 ) 2
2
Qmax
W 
2C 2 x 20 x 10 12
W  2.56 x 10 3 J

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 37


Ferroelectricity

 Ferroelectricity is a property of certain materials that have a


spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by the
application of an external electric field.

 The term is used in analogy to ferromagnetism, in which a


material exhibits a permanent magnetic moment.

 In addition to being nonlinear, ferroelectric materials


demonstrate a spontaneous non-zero polarization even
when the applied field E is zero.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 38


Ferroelectricity……

 The distinguishing feature of ferroelectrics is that the


spontaneous polarization can be reversed by a suitably
strong applied electric field in the opposite direction.

 Typically, materials demonstrate ferroelectricity only below


a certain phase transition temperature, called the Curie
temperature, Tc, and are paraelectric above this
temperature.

 The non-linear nature of ferroelectric materials can be used


to make capacitors with tunable capacitance.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 39


Ferroelectricity……

 The spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric materials


implies a hysteresis effect which can be used as a memory
function, and ferroelectric capacitors are indeed used to
make ferroelectric RAM for computers and RFID cards.

 Ferroelectric materials are required by symmetry


considerations to be also piezoelectric and pyroelectric.
The combined properties of memory, piezoelectricity, and
pyroelectricity make ferroelectric capacitors very useful, e.g.
for sensor applications.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 40


Ferroelectricity……

Piezoelectricity:

 Piezoelectricity is the accumulation of electric charge in


certain solid materials in response to applied mechanical
stress.

 Materials which acquire a charge when compressed,


twisted or distorted are said to be piezoelectric.

 Piezoelectricity is found in useful applications such as the


production and detection of sound, generation of high
voltages, electronic frequency generation and microbalances.
Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 41
Ferroelectricity……

Pyroelectricity:

 Pyroelectricity is the ability of certain materials to generate


a temporary voltage when they are heated or cooled.

 The change in temperature modifies the position of the


atoms slightly within the crystal structure such that the
polarization of the material changes.

 This polarization change gives rise to a voltage across the


material.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 42


Paraelectricity

 Paraelectricity is the ability of many materials to become


polarized under an applied electric field.

 Unlike ferroelectricity, removal of the fields results in the


polarization in the material returning to zero.

 The mechanisms that cause paraelectric behaviour are


the distortion of individual ions and polarization of
molecules or combinations of ions or defects.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 43


Classification of Dielectric Materials

 Dielectric materials can be classified into two major


categories: linear (normal dielectric) materials and
non-linear dielectric materials.

 The linear dielectric materials can be again subdivided


into three classes based on the mechanism of electric
polarization as non-polar and dipolar materials.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 44


Classification of Dielectric Materials……

i. Linear dielectric materials

 The dielectric materials which are exhibiting a linear


relationship between the polarization and applied electric
field are known as linear dielectrics.

 This class of materials gets polarized with the application


of the field and gets depolarized on the removal of field.

 Based on the nature of the polarization mechanism, the


linear dielectric materials can be grouped as: non-polar,
polar and dipolar dielectric materials

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 45


Classification of Dielectric Materials……

Non-polar dielectric materials:

 In materials of this class, an electric field can cause only


elastic displacement of the electron cloud (mainly the
valence electron cloud).

 So they have only electronic polarization.

 Such materials are generally referred to as elemental


dielectric materials.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 46


Classification of Dielectric Materials……

Polar materials:

 In materials of this class an electric field can cause only


elastic displacement of electron clouds as well as elastic
displacement of the relative positions of ions.

 These materials have both electronic and ionic


polarization.

 The material may be composed of molecules and each of


the molecules is made of more than one kind of atom
without any permanent dipole moment.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 47


Classification of Dielectric Materials……

 Examples of such materials are ionic crystals.

 In this case the total polarizability is the sum of the ionic


and electronic polarizabilities.

  e  i
Dipolar materials:

 The materials of this class have all three fundamental


polarizations: electronic, ionic and orientation.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 48


Classification of Dielectric Materials……

 Thus, the total polarizability for them is:

  e  i  o
 Materials, whose molecules posses a permanent dipole
moment, belong to this class include water & methyl
alcohol.

ii. Non-linear dielectric materials:

 The materials which have got a spontaneous polarization


even in the absence of an external field are grouped into
the class of non-linear dielectrics.
Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 49
Application of Dielectric Materials

 Dielectric materials can be solids, liquids, or gases.

 Solid dielectrics are perhaps the most commonly used


dielectrics in electrical engineering.

 Some examples of solid dielectrics include porcelain, glass


and most plastics.

 Some examples of dielectric liquids are transformer oil,


perfluoroalkanes and purified water.

 Air, nitrogen and sulfur hexafluoride are the three most


commonly used gaseous dielectrics.
Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 50
Application of Dielectric Materials……
i. Capacitors
 Commercially manufactured capacitors typically use a
solid dielectric material with high permittivity as the
intervening medium between the stored positive and
negative charges.
 The most obvious advantage to using such a dielectric
material in capacitors is that a high permittivity dielectric
material:
 prevents the conducting plates from coming into direct
electrical contact.
 allows a greater stored charge at a given voltage.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 51


Application of Dielectric Materials……

 The capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor is given by:


Q
C
V
 The surface charge density on either the plates is given by:
Q

A
 The value of the electric field between the plates is given by:
 Q
E 
 A
 The magnitude of the potential difference between the
Qd
plates can be calculated as: V  Ed 
A

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 52


Application of Dielectric Materials……

 The capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor is then given


by:
Q Q A   A
C  C  C  0 r
V Qd / A d d
 From the above relationship, it can easily be seen that a
larger εr leads to greater charge stored and thus greater
capacitance.

 Dielectric materials used for capacitors are also chosen


such that they are resistant to ionization.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 53


Application of Dielectric Materials……

 This allows the capacitor to operate at higher voltages


before the insulating dielectric ionizes and begins to allow
undesirable current.

Example:

An air-filled parallel-plate capacitor has a capacitance of


2 pF. The plate separation is then doubled and a dielectric
material is inserted completely filling the space between
the plates. As a result, the capacitance becomes 4 pF.
What is the dielectric constant of the material?

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 54


Application of Dielectric Materials……

Solution:
 For the initial condition, we have :
0 A 0A
C1   2 pF 
d1 d1

 For the final condition, we get :


 0 r A  0 r A
C2   4 pF  , d 2  2d 1
d2 d2

 0 r A r 
 4 pF    2 pF 
2d 1  2 
 r  4

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 55


Application of Dielectric Materials……

ii. Dielectric resonator


 A dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) is an electronic
component that exhibits resonance of the polarization
response for a narrow range of frequencies in the
microwave band. It consists of a ceramic material that has
a large dielectric constant and a low dissipation factor.
 Such resonators are often used to provide a frequency
reference in an oscillator circuit. An unshielded dielectric
resonator can be used as a dielectric resonator antenna
(DRA).
Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 56
Application of Dielectric Materials……

iii. Transformers
 Mineral oil is used extensively inside electrical transformers
as a fluid dielectric to assist in cooling.
 Transformer oil is a highly refined mineral oil that is stable
at high temperatures and has excellent electrical insulating
properties.
 To improve cooling of large power transformers, the oil-
filled tank may have external radiators through which the oil
circulates by natural convection.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 57


Exercise

1. Explain why a dielectric increases the maximum


operating voltage of a capacitor even though the physical
size of the capacitor does not change.

2. What is the difference between dielectric strength and


the dielectric constant?

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 58


Exercise……

3. A parallel-plate capacitor is constructed using a dielectric


material whose dielectric constant is 3 and whose
dielectric strength is 2 x108 V/m. The desired capacitance
is 0.25 F, and the capacitor must withstand a maximum
potential difference of 4 kV. Find the minimum area of the
capacitor plates.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 59


Exercise……

4. Explain ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity


briefly.

5. A parallel-plate capacitor with plate separation of 2mm


has a 2kV voltage applied to its plates. If the space
between its plates is filled with polystyrene (εr = 2.55), find
the:

a. electric field strength

b. electric flux density

c. polarization
Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 60
Exercise……

6. A dielectric sphere (εr = 4.5) of radius 2 cm has a point


charge 4 μC placed at its center. Determine the:
a. electric field strength
b. electric flux density
c. polarization
7. In a dielectric material, Ex=12 V/m and P= (10i + 8j +16k)
nC/m2. Calculate:
a. χe c. E
b. εr d. D

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 61


Exercise……

8. A parallel-plate capacitor has a plate separation d and


plate area A. An uncharged metallic slab of thickness t is
inserted midway between the plates. Determine the:

a. Find the capacitance of the device.

b. Show that the capacitance is unaffected if the


metallic slab is infinitesimally thin.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 62


Exercise……

9. A parallel-plate capacitor with a plate separation d has a


capacitance C0 in the absence of a dielectric. What is the
capacitance when a slab of dielectric material of
1
dielectric constant  r and thickness t d is inserted
3
between the plates.

Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 63


Exercise……

10. A parallel-plate capacitor in air has a plate separation of


1.5 cm and a plate area of 25 cm2. The plates are charged
to a potential difference of 250 V and disconnected from
the source. The capacitor is then immersed in distilled
water. Determine:

a. the charge on the plates before and after immersion

b. the capacitance and voltage after immersion

c. the change in energy of the capacitor

NB: Neglect the conductance of the liquid.


Sem. I, 2017/18 Chapter 5- Dielectric Materials 64

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