If the charge on a parallel-plate capacitor is doubled:
A) the capacitance is halved
B) the capacitance is doubled
C) the electric field is halved
D) the electric field is doubled
E) the surface charge density is not changed on either plate

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Doubling the charge on a parallel-plate capacitor directly doubles the electric field between the plates, as the electric field (E) is proportional to the surface charge density (σ), which is directly proportional to the charge (Q) on the plates. The capacitance (C) remains constant for a given capacitor, as it is determined by the physical characteristics of the capacitor (area of the plates and the distance between them, as well as the dielectric material between the plates) and not by the charge on it.

If the Charge on a Parallel-Plate Capacitor Is Doubled