Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
A dielectric is an insulating material that can be placed between the plates of a capacitor to increase its capacitance. It reduces the electric field inside the capacitor, allowing for more charge to be stored.
Capacitance is the ability of a capacitor to store electrical energy. It depends on factors such as plate area, distance between plates, and the presence of a dielectric.
Farad: The farad is the unit of measurement for capacitance. It represents one coulomb of charge stored per volt across the capacitor.
Electric Field: The electric field is a region around charged objects where they exert forces on other charged objects. In capacitors, the presence of a dielectric reduces this field strength.