Lab Procedure : Measuring Capacitance

Objective: The purpose of the lab is to test the relationship between the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor and the distance between the plates by varying the separation distance between two parallel plates of xed area.This relationship will then be usedto determine the dielectric constant of a sheet of plastic inserted between the plates.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

• Capacitance meter
• Parallel-plate capacitor apparatus
• Connecting wires
• Plastic film

Theory:

Acapacitoris an electrical device used to store electric charge.A system composed of two identical, parallel conducting plates separated by a fixed distance is called aparallel plate capacitor.The greater the voltage applied to any capacitor, the greater the charge that can be stored in it. However,different capacitors can store different amounts of charge for the same applied voltage, depending on their physical characteristics such as the area, A, of each plate and separation, d, of the plates. The capacitance,