Question 3-20C1

Capacitance is an intrinsic physical property of a capacitor, defining its ability to store an electric charge. It is determined by the physical construction of the capacitor, not by the amount of charge it currently holds or the voltage across its plates. The fundamental formula for capacitance for a parallel plate capacitor is C = εA/d, where: * **ε (epsilon)** is the permittivity of the dielectric material between the plates. This includes the *dielectric constant* (relative permittivity, εᵣ) of the material. A higher dielectric constant increases capacitance. * **A** is the area of the plates. * **d** is the distance between the plates. A smaller distance between the plates increases capacitance. Therefore, the distance between the plates and the dielectric constant of the material are the key physical factors determining a capacitor's capacitance. Voltage and charge are consequences of applying a potential difference to a capacitor of a given capacitance (Q=CV), they do not determine the capacitance itself.