Final answer:
The maximum voltage limit should never be exceeded in regards to a capacitor, as it depends on the dielectric strength of the material used between the plates. For instance, Teflon™ has a higher dielectric strength, allowing a Teflon™ filled capacitor to endure more voltage than an air-filled capacitor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The aspect of a capacitor that should never be exceeded is its maximum voltage limit, which is dependent on the dielectric strength of the material between the capacitor's plates. The dielectric strength is the maximum electric field a material can withstand without breaking down, and it limits the voltage that can be applied to the capacitor without causing a breakdown. For example, a capacitor with air as a dielectric has a much lower dielectric strength compared to one that is filled with Teflon™. The air-filled capacitor has a dielectric strength limit of 3.0 kV, while a Teflon™ filled capacitor can withstand up to 60.0 kV due to Teflon™'s dielectric strength of 60.0 MV/m. Overstepping this limit results in the dielectric material breaking down, potentially leading to capacitor failure.
Due to dielectric strength limits, the maximum charge a capacitor can store is directly tied to the voltage that can be safely applied across its plates and its physical size. Applying too large a voltage can exceed the dielectric breakdown of the insulation material, and assuming an unreasonably large charge for a given capacitor size is unrealistic. Therefore, the voltage applied to a capacitor should always remain within safe limits to avoid damage and to operate effectively.