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Capacitor Phet Lab 2

This document provides instructions for a virtual lab experiment using a capacitor simulation to investigate how capacitance is affected by plate separation, area, and the presence of a dielectric. Students are asked to complete data tables to measure and analyze capacitance, stored energy, charge, and electric fields under varying conditions. They are also asked pre-lab questions about circuit diagrams, dielectrics, and what capacitors store. The document concludes by asking students to explain how they would construct an ideal capacitor based on the experiment.

Uploaded by

Takuma Okada
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1K views

Capacitor Phet Lab 2

This document provides instructions for a virtual lab experiment using a capacitor simulation to investigate how capacitance is affected by plate separation, area, and the presence of a dielectric. Students are asked to complete data tables to measure and analyze capacitance, stored energy, charge, and electric fields under varying conditions. They are also asked pre-lab questions about circuit diagrams, dielectrics, and what capacitors store. The document concludes by asking students to explain how they would construct an ideal capacitor based on the experiment.

Uploaded by

Takuma Okada
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Dielectrics and Capacitance

Today we will be exploring the behavior of capacitors with and without


dielectrics. You will complete the virtual lab using the Capacitor Lab
from Phet, data analysis software (Logger Pro or Excel) and this
document. Each member of the lab group must complete and submit a
copy of the assignment.
Pre-Lab Questions
1. Draw a diagram of a simple capacitor in a circuit with one battery
(1.5 V).

2. What is a dielectric?

3. What does a capacitor store?

Basic Characteristics of a Capacitor


Open the Capacitor Lab
(https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/capacitor-lab)
Set the plates to the minimum area (100.0 mm2), maximum separation
(10.0 mm) and maximum positive battery voltage (1.5 V) to begin.
Using the provided meters in the simulation complete the following
data table:
Trial

Separati
on (mm)

Plate
Area
(mm2)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

10
9
8
7
6
5
5

300
300
300
300
300
400
350

Capacitan
ce (F)

Stored
Energy
(J)

Plate
Charge (C)

Electric Field
between
plates (V/m)

Dielectrics and Capacitance


8
9
10

5
5
5

300
250
200

Analyze the data above and answer the following questions. You may
want to create graphs to better explain relationships between
variables. Attach any graphs or figures you create with the data to
explain your responses.
1. Which variables increase as the plates are moved further apart?
What is the pattern of increase?

2. As the plate separation decreases which variables increase?


What is the pattern of increase?

3. Which variables increase as the plate area is decreased? What is


the pattern of increase?

4. As the plate area increases which variables increase? What is


the pattern of increase?

Dielectrics and Capacitance


Dielectrics
Click on the Dielectrics tab in the Capacitor Lab.
Set the plates to the area (200.0 mm2), separation (8.0 mm), maximum
positive battery voltage (1.5 V) and minimum dielectric constant (1)
with zero offset to begin.
Using the provided meters in the simulation complete the following
data table (keep the plate separation and area constant through all
trials):

Trial

Dielectri
c
Constan
t

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5

Capacitan
ce (F)

Stored
Energ
y
(J)

Plate
Charge
(C)

Sum
Electric
Field
between
(V/m)

Electric
Field in
Dielectric
(V/m)

Electric
Field
between
the plates
(V/m)

Analyze the data above and answer the following questions. You may
want to create graphs to better explain relationships between
variables. Attach any graphs or figures you create with the data to
explain your responses.
5. How does the dielectric constant affect capacitance?

6. As the dielectric constant increases how does the total stored


energy change?

7. Does the dielectric constant affect the amount of charge stored


on the plate? If so, what is the relationship?

Dielectrics and Capacitance

8. Based on the data from your two experiments and any further
experimentation you wish to carry out, what do you think the
dielectric constant of air (which is what separates the plates in
the first experiment) would be?

Conclusion
Explain how you would construct the ideal capacitor. In your
explanation include the basic physical dimensions as well as any
specific materials you feel would work. While you might not be able to
give specific numbers, you should be able to relate general trends and
magnitudes of the figures.

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