Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can explain the difference between a conductor and a dielectric in terms of how freely charges move. (Guide: “What happens inside a dielectric”)
- I can describe how polar and non-polar molecules become polarized in a field. (Guide: “What happens inside a dielectric”)
- I can explain, with a diagram, why the field of the bound charges opposes the applied field. (Guide: Figure 1; Practice Q1)
- I can state that κ = ε/ε₀, that it has no unit and that κ = 1 for a vacuum. (Guide: “The induced field and the dielectric constant”)
Calculation and skills
- I can show that filling an isolated capacitor gives E = E₀/κ, ΔV = ΔV₀/κ and C = κC₀. (Guide: “Capacitance with a dielectric”; Practice Q3)
- I can calculate C, ΔV, E and the induced charge density σᵢ = σ(1 − 1/κ) for a filled capacitor. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q4)
- I can calculate the charge supplied and the energy change when a slab is inserted with a battery connected. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Q5)
- I can plan an experiment to measure κ and find it from the gradient of a straight-line graph. (Guide: “Measuring κ in the lab”, Figure 2; Practice Q6)
- I can find the capacitance when a slab only partly fills the gap. (Practice Q7)
Reasoning
- I can decide whether Q or ΔV is fixed and predict the factor of change in ΔV, E, Q and U. (Guide: “Isolated or connected”; Practice Q2, Q5)
- I can explain why E is unchanged when a slab is inserted with the battery connected. (Practice Q5)
- I can name a systematic error in measuring κ and say which way it shifts the result. (Practice Q6)
All ticked? Move on to Topic 11.1, Electric Current, or return to the course roadmap.