1 Answer
The dielectric constant, also known as the relative permittivity, is a measure of how much a material can resist the electric field within it and store electrical energy. It is a ratio that compares the permittivity of a material to the permittivity of free space (vacuum).
In simpler terms:
Mathematically:
\[
\text{Dielectric constant} (K) = \frac{\varepsilon}{\varepsilon_0}
\]
Where:
Example:
In short, the dielectric constant tells you how much a material can affect or modify the electric field compared to the vacuum. The higher the dielectric constant, the more the material can reduce the electric field inside it.
In simpler terms:
- Permittivity is a property of a material that tells you how easily it allows electric field lines to pass through it.
- The dielectric constant (or relative permittivity) is a dimensionless number that shows how much better (or worse) a material can store charge compared to a vacuum.
Mathematically:
\[
\text{Dielectric constant} (K) = \frac{\varepsilon}{\varepsilon_0}
\]
Where:
- \(\varepsilon\) is the permittivity of the material (how the material responds to the electric field).
- \(\varepsilon_0\) is the permittivity of free space (vacuum).
Example:
- In a vacuum, the dielectric constant is 1 because \(\varepsilon = \varepsilon_0\).
- For water, the dielectric constant is much higher (about 80 at room temperature), which means water can store a lot of electrical energy compared to a vacuum.
In short, the dielectric constant tells you how much a material can affect or modify the electric field compared to the vacuum. The higher the dielectric constant, the more the material can reduce the electric field inside it.