Parallel Plate Capacitor
 Field and Charge Distribution
Objective:
To show how electric flux density, electric field and charge density behave in a parallel plate capacitor, optionally filled with a dielectric.
Steps:
View the configuration in a simpler way. Note where we will place a dielectric in later steps.
   
Plot the electric flux density without and with a dielectric present.
Observe that the electric flux density is constant between the two plates in both cases.
   
Find the electric field without and with a dielectric.
The electric field inside the dielectric is not the same as the electric field in air.
   
Plot the free charge density at the metal plates - this is directly related to the charge placed on the plates and will be the same with or without the dielectric.
With the dielectric added, there are bound charges at the air/dielectric boundary.
 
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