Which of the following statements about the properties of the electric field produced by charged parallel plates is not correct?
A
The electric field in the region outside the parallel plate is zero, except for the edge effects
B
The magnitude of the electric field strength at any point between the plates, except near the edges, depends on the magnitude of the charge on each plate.
C
The magnitude of the electric field strength at any point between the plates is directly proportional to the magnitude of the charge on each plate.
D
The electric field is uniform everywhere in the space between the parallel plates
Verified Correct Answer: C.
Physical Principles & Numerical Solution
The magnitude of the electric field strength at any point between the plates is not directly proportional to the magnitude of the charge on each plate. Instead, it is directly proportional to the charge density (charge per unit area) on the plates. Therefore, if the charge on the plates is increased while keeping the area of the plates constant, the electric field strength will increase. However, if the area of the plates is also increased such that the charge density remains constant, the electric field strength will not change.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #69351)