A capacitor "C" has a charge Q". The actual charges on its plates are:
Correct answer: A. Q, -Q
- A. Q, -Q
- B. Q/2, -Q/2
- C. Q, Q
- D. Q, 0
Explanation
A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field, created by two conductive plates separated by an insulator. When a capacitor has a charge 'Q', it means one plate has a charge of '+Q' and the other has a charge of '-Q'. This arrangement ensures that the net charge of the system is zero, as required by the conservation of charge. Option A is correct because it reflects this fundamental property of capacitors. Options B and D suggest unequal or no charges on the plates, which is incorrect. Option C suggests the same charge on both plates, which defies the nature of capacitors.
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About Electrostatics
Electrostatics describes forces between charges through Coulomb's law, electric fields and field intensity, then uses electric potential to measure energy per unit charge. Capacitors store charge and electrical energy, with capacitance depending on geometry and dielectric material, not simply on the amount of charge present.
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