PASCO Basic Electrostatics System - Procedure 3 D: Capacitors in Series and Parallel

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ES-9080A 012-07227G Basic Electrostatics System
29
After some algebra and rearranging, you find that
where the ratio C´
p
/C
p
is the dielectric coefficient  :
Table 3.1: Some Dielectric Coefficients
Procedure 3D: Capacitors in Series and in Parallel
The purpose of this demonstration is to examine the effect of placing capacitors in series and
in parallel. You will need two capacitors of known value (between 200 - 400 µF, to ignore the
internal capacitance of the electrometer), a DC voltage source, the electrometer, some cables,
and a double throw switch.
Material
Vacuum 1
Air 1.00059
Polystyrene 2.6
Paper 3.7
Pyrex 4.7
Mica 5.4
Porcelain 6.5
C 
p
C
p
-------
C
E
V
i
V–
f
C
p
V
i
+
C
p
V
f
--------------------------------------------
=

 A
d

O
A
d
-----------
C
p
C
p
-------
==

VV
C
1
C
2
C
1
C
2
A
B
A
B
Figure 3.7: Circuit Diagrams
3.7a Series 3.7b Parallel