Question

The electric field inside a charged parallel-plate capacitor is __________. (Assume the distance between the plates is small compared to their length and width.)

a) zero
b) uniform
c) parallel to the plates
d) perpendicular to the plates
e) directed from the negative to the positive plate
f) directed from the positive to the negative plate

Answer 1

The electric field inside a charged parallel-plate capacitor is uniform and perpendicular to the plates.

Step-by-step explanation:

The electric field inside a charged parallel-plate capacitor is uniform and perpendicular to the plates.

When two oppositely charged parallel plates have uniformly distributed electric charge, at points far from the edges of the plates, the electric field between the plates is constant in magnitude and direction. The field lines start on positive charges and end on negative charges, so the electric field is directed from the positive to the negative plate.

This information is consistent with the understanding that between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor, the electric field lines are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the plates.