WAEC Physics 2024 Paper

Concept:The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor depends on the dielectric material placed between its plates.Explanation:For a parallel plate capacitor, capacitance is given by:$$C = \frac{\kappa \varepsilon_0 A}{d}$$Here, $\kappa$ is the dielectric constant, $\varepsilon_0$ is the permittivity of free space, $A$ is the plate area, and $d$ is the separation between the plates.When there is no dielectric between the plates, $\kappa = 1$ (approximately, for air or vacuum).When a dielectric is inserted, $\kappa > 1$.This increases the numerator of the formula, so the capacitance becomes larger.The dielectric reduces the effective electric field between the plates, allowing more charge to be stored for the same potential difference.Hence, capacitance is greater with a dielectric between the plates than without a dielectric.Options A and B are not directly related to the standard definition of capacitance.Answer:D. is greater with dielectric between the plates than without dielectric.