Where exactly the charge of the capacitor resides ?

[rameshbabu]

Where exactly the charge of the capacitor resides i.e, on the plates or in the dielectric of the capacitor. In some books i read it as charge is accumulated on the dielectric and i can't understand how a dielelectric can store charge.

 

[leoren_tm]

Re: Capacitor

in the plate... dielectric are to prevent a current to flow from plate to plate determine by the max voltage allowable.

 

[halls]

Re: Capacitor

The dielectric is a material for which current flow is very difficult. This means that this materials hardly can hold new electrons coming from an external entity.

Capacitor's plates are made of conducting material, so electrons get accumulated in them. But when trying to go through the dielectric they find a very hard path, so they stay in the plates.

So, charges get accumulated in the plates.

 

[leoren_tm]

Re: Capacitor

and the building of charges on the plate create a voltage difference.

 

[gnjus]

Re: Capacitor

When a material is subjected to an electric field, the polarization dipoles of material interact with the applied el.mag. field.
For dielectric (insulating) material this interaction provides the material the ability to store electric energy, which is accomplished by the shift against restraining forces of their bound charges when they are subjected to external applied forces.
(This is analogous to streching a spring or lifting a weight, and it represents potential energy).

(For more info check Balanis - Advanced Engineering Electromagnetics)