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LAB SESSION

2
Parallel plate capacitor

OBJETIVE
Calculation of the value of the electric permittivity of the air, ε0, and the
constant, k, which appears in the Coulomb’s Law

MATERIAL
Capacitor of circular or square and parallel, capacitance meter, computer and
adjustment program by least squared method

CIRCULAR PLATES SQUARE PLATES

THEORY

The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor of area A and separated from each
other a distance d is given by the following expression
A 1
C  0  A
4kd d
being 07 the electrical permittivity of the vacuum. For practical purposes the
vacuum and the air are almost equal, for the range of precision that we are going
to consider.

The área of the plates that we are going to use is

Circular plates of radius R Square plates of side L


𝜋𝐷
Area 𝜋𝑅 𝐿
4

Replacing we obtain

Circular plates of radius R Square plates of side L


𝜀 𝜋𝑅 𝜀 𝜋𝐷 𝜀 𝐿
C
𝑑 4𝑑 𝑑

From the above equation we can see that as the distance between the plates
increases, the less capacitance will be. This indicates that both variables, C and
d, are inversely proportional.
To obtain this equation it must be assumed that the electric field is uniform and
perpendicular to the two plates, which is only true if the plates are infinite.
Obviously in a laboratory we do not fit an infinite capacitor, the one we have is of
finite size. The solution to this small dilemma is to measure just in the center of
the capacitor, as far as possible from its edges. Then we can consider that the
electric field is practically uniform.
DATA ACQUISITION
Above the laboratory table we have a capacitor which we must make sure that it
is discharged, so we put our hand on top of the two plates and the little charge
they have, if any, is cancelled when the negative charges of the negative plate
move to the positive plate through our hand. Our skin, despite being a bad
conductor, allows it to be discharged. If there is a student particularly sensitive to
small electrical currents (something very unlikely), some metallic element should
be used to discharge it.
The capacitance meter is a digital device, of an external appearance similar to a
multimeter, which allows to measure capacitance with great precision.

7
Esta constante tiene un valor que es muy bien conocido y del cual sabemos 10 cifras
significativas. Su valor es 0= 8.854187817ꞏ10-12 C2ꞏN-1ꞏm-2 = 8.854187817:10-12 F/m=
8.854187817 pF/m. La otra constante, denominada k, que aparece en la ley de Coulomb también
tiene 10 cifras significativas y vale k= 8.987551788ꞏ109 Nꞏm2/C29ꞏ109 Nꞏm2/C2. Ambas
constantes no son independientes entre sí, son inversamente proporcionales, siendo la constante
de proporcionalidad 1/4, es decir, kꞏ0 = 1/4.
But in order for the measurements to be correct, you have to adjust it to zero,
which means the following: place two wires, which end in the so-called crocodile
clamp, in the two connections that the capacitance meter has in the bottom part
of its main face, without the wires are still connected to the capacitor, supporting
them in the table, without touching and being away from any conductor or metal
element. Then with rotate a wheel that has in the upper right part until the screen
shows 0.00, that is, until the capacitance meter marks 0.00. It costs a little at first,
because the device is very sensitive; but soon enough the skill is grasped to do
it quickly.
Due to the various electrical devices that exist in the laboratory, electric and
potential fields are being induced in the capacitor, which we must try to reduce
as much as possible through this zero-adjustment procedure. It may not be
possible to mark exactly zero; we must make sure that it marks as little as
possible.
This zero adjustment must be done before starting to measure and it is absolutely
necessary to have an acceptable accuracy. Remember that we want to get
numbers that are known with ten significant figures and we must get at least two
significant figures correct and if they were three better.
Another important detail is the one that appears printed in the own capacitance
meter. Before making each measurement, the capacitor must be discharged. The
battery that has the capacitance meter in its interior transfers a small charge to
the plates of the capacitor. This charge is necessary to be able to measure the
capacitance of the capacitor, but it must be removed to start the next
measurement correctly. That's why it is necessary to put the hand on top of the
capacitor or touch both plates at the same time to discharge them. If this
precaution were not taken, we could damage the capacitance meter.
The distance between the plates will be measured with the rule that the capacitors
are incorporated. The distance will be measured at least three times as a direct
measure.
We will start measuring in 5 mm and increasing the distance in 1 mm until we
reach 14 mm. This way we will have 10 different measures.
The capacitance of the capacitor will also be measured at least three times as it
is a direct measure. We will use the scale of measurements of picofarads
(1 pF = 10-12 F), which is the best suited to our practice. In this scale the
capacitance meter gives us three significant figures, being one of them decimal.
The accuracy of this digital device is
0.5% measure + 7 dígits
The first measure, prior to everything, is the diameter of the two equal circles or
the side of the two equal squares that make up the capacitor. The measurements
are noted in the following table:
Circular Square
Diameter measure Side measure
D1 L1
D2 L2
D3 L3
Mean value of the three D= Mean value of the three L=
measures measures
Sensitivity of the Sensitivity of the
measuring measuring
device=absolute error device=absolute error

The final result is noted, then with its correct significant figures and decimals

Circular D  a(D) D=(  )ꞏ10-3 m


Square L  a(L) L=(  )ꞏ10-3 m

Let's start now and do the measurements

 First distance: d ~ 5 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d11
d12
d13
Mean value of the three d1=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error
We measure the capacitance of the capacitor
Distance measure
C11
C12
C13
Mean value of the three C1=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d1 (10-3 m) a(d1) (10-3 m) C1 (pF) a(C1) (pF)

 Second distance: d ~ 6 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d21
d22
d23
Mean value of the three d2=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We measure the capacitance of the capacitor


Distance measure
C21
C22
C23
Mean value of the three C2=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d2 (10-3 m) a(d2) (10-3 m) C2 (pF) a(C2) (pF)
 Third distance: d ~ 7 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d31
d32
d33
Mean value of the three d3=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We measure the capacitance of the capacitor


Distance measure
C31
C32
C33
Mean value of the three C3=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d3 (10-3 m) a(d3) (10-3 m) C3 (pF) a(C3) (pF)

 Forth distance: d ~ 8 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d41
d42
d43
Mean value of the three d4=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error
We measure the capacitance of the capacitor
Distance measure
C41
C42
C43
Mean value of the three C4=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d4 (10-3 m) a(d4) (10-3 m) C4 (pF) a(C4) (pF)

 Fifth distance: d ~ 9 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d51
d52
d53
Mean value of the three d5=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We measure the capacitance of the capacitor


Distance measure
C51
C52
C53
Mean value of the three C5=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error
We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d5 (10-3 m) a(d5) (10-3 m) C5 (pF) a(C5) (pF)

 sixth distance: d ~ 10 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d61
d62
d63
Mean value of the three d6=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We measure the capacitance of the capacitor


Distance measure
C61
C62
C63
Mean value of the three C6=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d6 (10-3 m) a(d6) (10-3 m) C6 (pF) a(C6) (pF)
 seventh distance: d ~ 11 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d71
d72
d73
Mean value of the three d7=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We measure the capacitance of the capacitor


Distance measure
C71
C72
C73
Mean value of the three C7=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d7 (10-3 m) a(d7) (10-3 m) C7 (pF) a(C7) (pF)

 eighth distance: d ~ 12 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d81
d82
d83
Mean value of the three d8=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error
We measure the capacitance of the capacitor
Distance measure
C81
C82
C83
Mean value of the three C8=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d8 (10-3 m) a(d8) (10-3 m) C8 (pF) a(C8) (pF)

 nineth distance: d ~ 13 mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d91
d92
d93
Mean value of the three d9=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We measure the capacitance of the capacitor


Distance measure
C91
C92
C93
Mean value of the three C9=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error
We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d9 (10-3 m) a(d9) (10-3 m) C9 (pF) a(C9) (pF)

 tenth distance: d ~ 14mm

We measure the distance between the plates


Distance measure
d101
d102
d103
Mean value of the three d10=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We measure the capacitance of the capacitor


Distance measure
C101
C102
C103
Mean value of the three C10=
measures
Sensitivity of the measuring
device=absolute error

We now join the two measures and their corresponding absolute errors
d10 (10-3 m) a(d10) (10-3 m) C10 (pF) a(C10) (pF)

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