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Multiple Choice
Each plate in a parallel-plate capacitor has an area of . and the separation between plates is . The magnitude of the charge on each plate is . What is the magnitude of the electric field between the plates and inside the metal of the plates?
A
B
C
D
E
F
Verified step by step guidance
1
First, understand that the electric field (E) between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor is given by the formula: E = σ / ε₀, where σ is the surface charge density and ε₀ is the permittivity of free space (approximately 8.85 × 10⁻¹² C²/N·m²).
Calculate the surface charge density (σ) using the formula: σ = Q / A, where Q is the charge on one plate (7.43 mC or 7.43 × 10⁻³ C) and A is the area of the plate (12.5 cm² or 12.5 × 10⁻⁴ m²).
Substitute the value of σ into the electric field formula: E = σ / ε₀ to find the electric field between the plates.
Recognize that inside the metal of the plates, the electric field (Ein plate) is zero. This is because the electric field inside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium is always zero.
Finally, compare your calculated electric field between the plates with the given options to identify the correct answer.