AP Physics C E and M 10.3: Capacitors
Describe parallel-plate capacitor properties and connect capacitance to plate area, separation, charge, potential difference, and field.
- Syllabus
- Effective Fall 2025
- Course
- AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism
Describe parallel-plate capacitor properties and connect capacitance to plate area, separation, charge, potential difference, and field.
The plates of a certain variable capacitor have an adjustable area. An experiment is performed to study the potential difference across the capacitor as it discharges through a resistor. A circuit is to be constructed with the following available equipment: a single ideal battery of potential difference ΔV0, a single voltmeter, a single resistor of resistance R, a single uncharged variable capacitor set to capacitance C, and one or more switches as needed.

The capacitor is adjusted so that the surface area of the plates is increased, and the experiment is repeated. Would the slope of the best-fit line in the second experiment be more steep, less steep, or unchanged compared to the slope of the best-fit line in part (c)? More steep Less steep Unchanged
Briefly justify your answer.
For selecting "Less steep" and an attempt at a relevant justification 1 point
For correctly relating the correct change in capacitance to the slope of the graph 1 point
Example Response
Increasing the area of the plates increases the capacitance of the capacitor; thus, the magnitude of the slope will decrease.
Scoring Note: Part (d) is scored consistently with part (c).
Total for part (d) 2 points