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Q.The plates of a parallel plate capacitor have an area of 90 cm^2 each and are separated by 2.5 mm. The capacitor is charged by connecting it to a 400 V supply.

a) How much electrostatic energy is stored by the capacitor?
b) View this energy as stored in the electrostatic field between the plates and obtain the energy per unit volume u. Hence arrive at a relation between u and the magnitude of the electric field E between the plates.
Gujarat GsebGSEB Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination 2023Subjective· 4mImportance★★★★★
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Find C = epsilon_0 A/d = 31.9 pF, then U = (1/2)CV^2 = 2.55 microJ; the energy density u = U/(volume) = 0.113 J/m^3 equals (1/2)epsilon_0 E^2 with E = V/d.

Data: A = 90 cm^2 = 9 x 10^-3 m^2, d = 2.5 mm = 2.5 x 10^-3 m, V = 400 V.

Capacitance: C = epsilon_0 A/d = (8.85 x 10^-12)(9 x 10^-3)/(2.5 x 10^-3) = 3.19 x 10^-11 F (about 31.9 pF).

  1. Electrostatic energy stored: U = (1/2) C V^2 = 0.5 x (3.19 x 10^-11)(400)^2 = 0.5 x (3.19 x 10^-11)(1.6 x 10^5) = 2.55 x 10^-6 J.
  2. Energy per unit volume (volume = A d = 9 x 10^-3 x 2.5 x 10^-3 = 2.25 x 10^-5 m^3): u = U/(A d) = (2.55 x 10^-6)/(2.25 x 10^-5) = 0.113 J/m^3. …

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