Parallel plates are boring!

2 fixed semi-circular conducting plates each of radius R R are placed parallel to each other at a separation distance of d ( R ) d\, (\ll R) to form a capacitor. Another semi-circular plate of thickness d d and mass M , M, made of a dielectric of dielectric constant k , k, just fills in the space between the plates of the capacitor.

The dielectric plate is free to rotate about the axis which passes through the center and is perpendicular to the plane of the plates.

Now, a potential difference of V V is applied to the capacitor and the rotating plate is displaced by a small angle of θ \theta about its rotation axis. Then the time taken by it to get back to its original position is independent of __________ . \text{\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_}.


Note: Neglect gravity.

the dielectric constant k k the potential difference V V the radius of the plate R R the mass of the dielectric plate M M

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1 solution

Spandan Senapati
May 22, 2017

There would be fringing fields as we take out the dielectric by a small angle say θ \theta . We calculate the torque on the dielectric as follows.

Let an external agent displace it. Then, W a g e n t + W b a t t e r y + W c a p a c i t o r = 0 W_{agent}+W_{battery}+W_{capacitor}=0 .

So τ d θ + d C V 2 1 / 2 d C V 2 = 0 \tau d\theta + dCV^2 - 1/2 d C V^2= 0 .

So τ = 1 / 2 V 2 d C d θ \tau = - 1/2 V^2 \dfrac{dC}{d\theta} .

Now C = ( θ + k ( π θ ) ) r 2 ϵ 2 d C=\dfrac{(\theta+k(\pi-\theta))r^2\epsilon }{2d} .

Using this yields τ = 1 / ( 4 d ) × V 2 r 2 ϵ ( k 1 ) \tau=1/(4d)×V^2r^2\epsilon (k-1) .

So in the absence of the external agent, the torque applied by the capacitor tries to bring the dielectric back to the initial position. Since τ \tau is constant we have τ = I α \tau=I\alpha . And it's easy to conclude that I = ψ M r 2 I=\psi Mr^2 ( ψ \psi is a constant say here ψ = 1 / 2 \psi =1/2 , M M is the mass of dielectric plate)

Time required is thus t = ( 2 θ / α ) t= √(2\theta /\alpha) . Plugging the values calculated, we get the time to be independent of the Radius. This was just a mathematical approach although one could simply conclude from physical interpretations. (say dimensional analysis), t = ( 8 θ ψ M × d / ϵ V 2 ( k 1 ) ) t=√(8\theta \psi M×d/\epsilon V^2(k-1))

@A E.Kindly add M M as the mass of dielectric plate.Time won't be dependant on the mass of the capacitor plates

Spandan Senapati - 4 years ago

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Yes added it.

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Yeah thanks....

Spandan Senapati - 4 years ago

Awesome solution!

Harsh Shrivastava - 4 years ago

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Thanks .....

Spandan Senapati - 4 years ago

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