Q.The distance between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor of capacitance C is doubled. Its new capacitance will be
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Parallel Plate Capacitance and Plate Separation
A parallel plate capacitor stores charge on two conducting plates of area A separated by a distance d. Its capacitance depends only on this geometry (and the medium between the plates):
C=dε0A
Intuition: capacitance is how much charge the plates hold per volt. Pull the plates apart (increase d) and C decreases; the field must reach across a bigger gap for the same charge.
The key distinction — is the battery connected? Two variables (Q, V) are linked by Q=CV, but only one is held fixed depending on the circuit:
- Battery (cell of emf E) still connected (key closed): the plates stay at V=E. So V is constant. Changing d changes C, and therefore Q=CV changes — charge flows through the circuit to keep V fixed.
- Battery disconnected first (key open): the charge Q on the isolated plates has nowhere to go, so Q is constant. Changing d changes C, and therefore V=Q/C changes. …
For a parallel-plate capacitor C = epsilon_0 A / d, so capacitance is inversely proportional to the plate separation d. Doubling d halves C. …
C is inversely proportional to plate separation, so doubling d gives half the capacitance, C/2.
The capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor is
C = epsilon_0 A / d
…
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If the distance between two plates of a parallel plate capacitor is halved, its capacity(1) increases 2 times(2) decreases 2 times(3) increases 4 times(4) decreases 4 times
›Reveal solutionSolution
Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is inversely proportional to the plate separation.
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- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.A parallel plate capacitor stores a charge Q at a voltage V. Suppose the area of the parallel plate capacitor and distance between the plates are each doubled then which is the quantity that will change ?(a) Voltage(b) Capacitance(c) Energy density(d) Charge
›Reveal solutionSolution
Doubling both A and d leaves C (and hence Q, V) unchanged, but the field E=V/d halves, so only the energy density changes.
Working
Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor: C=dε0A
If both A→2A and d→2d:
C′=2dε0(2A)=dε0A=C — unchanged.
Since capacitance is unchanged and the capacitor is isolated (charge Q fixed), the voltage V=Q/C is also unchanged, and so is Q.
However, the field between the plates E=V/d. With V unchanged but d doubled:
E′=2dV=2E
…
- CBSE 2020Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.How capacitance changes if the distance between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor is halved?(a) Does not change(b) Becomes half(c) Doubled(d) Becomes one fourth
›Reveal solutionSolution
For a parallel plate capacitor, C=dε0A, so C∝1/d; halving d doubles C.
The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor (plate area A, separation d, vacuum/air between plates) is
C=dε0A
With A unchanged, C depends only on 1/d. If the separation is halved, d→d/2, so …
- CBSE 2020Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If voltage applied on a capacitor is increased from V to 2V, choose the correct conclusion.(a) Both Q and C remain the same(b) Q remains the same, C is doubled(c) Q is doubled, C is doubled(d) C remains the same, Q is doubled
›Reveal solutionSolution
Capacitance depends only on the capacitor's geometry, not on the applied voltage, so it is unaffected when V→2V; the charge Q=CV, however, doubles.
Working
For a parallel plate capacitor,
C=dε0A
depends only on the plate area A, separation d, and the dielectric — none of which change when the applied voltage is changed. So the capacitance C stays exactly the same.
…
- CBSE 2019Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The distance between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor of capacitance C is doubled. Its new capacitance will be(a) 2C(b) 1/2 C(c) C^2(d) 4C
›Reveal solutionSolution
C is inversely proportional to plate separation, so doubling d gives half the capacitance, C/2.
The capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor is
C = epsilon_0 A / d
…
- CBSE 2018Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Match the following (select the appropriate option from Column B for the statement of Column A). Column A: Parallel plate capacitor. Column B:(i) ω = 1/√(LC),(ii) λ = h/√(2mk),(iii) qvB sinθ,(iv) λ = hν,(v) r = R(E/V − 1),(vi) ε₀A/d.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Parallel plate capacitor capacitance C = ε₀A/d, option (vi).
For a parallel plate capacitor with plate area A, plate separation d, and vacuum (or air) between the plates, the capacitance is
C = ε₀A/d,
…
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