Dielectric Materials

Dielectric materials are characterized by a dielectric constant k ³ 1. Filling the space between the capacitor plates with a dielectric material will increase the capacitance by a factor of k:

C = kC₀

where C0 is the capacitance without the dielectric.

Dielectric material are composed of molecules with electric dipole moments. In general, a dipole consists of two equal and opposite charges q separated by a distance s. In this case, the electric dipole moment p is given by

P = q s

Electric dipoles in an external electric field E experience a torque given by

The potential energy of such a dipole is given by