Capacitance definitions

Question 1

Capacitance

Answer 1

the charge stored per unit p.d. of a capacitor, C = Q/V. The unit of capacitance is the Farad (F), equal to one coulomb per volt.

Question 2

Dielectric

Answer 2

material that increases the capacity of a parallel-plate capacitor to store charge when placed between the plates of the capacitor. Polythene and waxed paper are examples of dielectrics.

Question 3

Exponential change

Answer 3

when the quanity (on the y-axis) changes by the same factor in equal intervals of the quantity on the x-axis (e.g. time); when the rate of change in a quantity is proportional to the quantity itself.

Question 4

Logarithmic scale

Answer 4

a scale such that equal intervals correspond to a change by a constant factor.

Question 5

Relative permittivity (dielectric constant)

Answer 5

ratio of the charge stored by a parallel-plate capacitor with dielectric filling the space between its plates to the charge stored without the dielectric for the same p.d.