10.4.A—Describe how a dielectric inserted between the plates of a capacitor changes the properties of the capacitor

Describe how a dielectric inserted between the plates of a capacitor changes the properties of the capacitor.

• In a dielectric material, electric charges are not as free to move as they are in a conductor. Instead, the material becomes polarized in the presence of an external electric field.
• The dielectric constant of a material relates the electric permittivity of that material to the permittivity of free space. Relevant equation:
• The electric field created by a polarized dielectric is opposite in direction to the external field.
• The electric field between the plates of an isolated parallel-plate capacitor decreases when a dielectric is placed between the plates. Derived equation:
• The insertion of a dielectric into a capacitor may change the capacitance of the capacitor. Derived equation: TOPIC 11.1 Electric Current