Exam-style question
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What happens to the capacitance of a capacitor if the distance between the plates is increased?.
- A.The capacitance increases due to a stronger electric field.
- B.The capacitance decreases because the electric field strength is reduced.
- C.The capacitance remains unchanged.
- D.The capacitance increases due to more charge being stored.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The capacitance decreases because the electric field strength is reduced.
Explanation
Why this works
Increasing the distance between the plates of a capacitor decreases the capacitance because the electric field strength is reduced. This reduction in electric field strength means that less charge can be stored for the same potential difference.
The consequence is that the capacitor becomes less effective in storing energy, which can impact its performance in circuits.
Common mistake
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