Which one of the following must be decreased in order to increase the capacitance of a capacitor?

Correct answer: B. The distance between the plates

  • A. The area of the plates
  • B. The distance between the plates
  • C. The number of the plates
  • D. The dielectric constant

Explanation

The formula for capacitance is C = εo εr A/d. Decreasing the distance between the plates would increase the capacitance since C is inversely proportional to d. Therefore, B is correct.

This question appeared on the ETEA MDCAT 2005 paper, which you can sit online with every answer explained.

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About Capacitors

Capacitors store electric charge and energy in an electric field between conductors. Work includes capacitance, the relation Q = CV, dielectric materials, charging and discharging, energy formulas, and combinations of capacitors in series and parallel. Electric potential difference is needed to understand why charge and stored energy change.

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