Answer to Question #159151 in Electric Circuits for Ivo

Question

Briefly describe an experiment to measure the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor.

Answer 1

Through measurements of the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor under different configurations (the distance between the two plates and the area the two plates facing each other), one verifies the capacitance formula, which is deduced directly from Gauss’s Law in Electricity. These experiments will enforce the understanding of Gauss’s Law and the assumptions used in deriving the formula for calculating the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor. Through the comparison of experimental data with theoretical calculations, and data analyses with error estimation and correction, students obtain better understanding of theoretical modeling, formulism and their departure from realistic configurations. Students receive complete training in data acquisition, analyses, including error corrections, and result presentation plus report writing. Also included in the experiments are the measurements of dielectric constants of several solid and liquid samples to enhance the understanding of the concept of an insulator’s dielectric constant. Through these measurements, students get training in using instruments such as digital multi-meter, digital capacitance meter, micrometer head, and understand measurement errors that come from instruments