Dielectric constant

Definition

The dielectric constant, also known as the relative permittivity, is a measure of how well a material can store electrical energy in an electric field. It quantifies the ability of a material to polarize and reduce the electric field inside it.

Related terms

κ (kappa): Kappa represents the absolute permittivity or capacitance per unit length of a material. It is related to the dielectric constant by multiplying it with ε₀ (epsilon naught), which is the vacuum permittivity.

μ (mu, permeability): While the dielectric constant deals with storing electrical energy in an electric field, permeability refers to how well a material can conduct magnetic fields. It measures a material's ability to allow magnetic flux lines to pass through it.

Capacitance:

Capacitance is directly related to the dielectric constant. It represents an object's ability to store electrical charge when connected across a voltage source. A higher dielectric constant leads to increased capacitance for a given geometry and separation distance between conductors.