The term "relative permittivity" is also commonly known as "dielectric constant." Both terms refer to the same concept in electrical engineering and materials science.
**Relative permittivity (εr)** or **dielectric constant** describes how a material affects the electric field in a capacitor or other electrical components. It is defined as the ratio of the permittivity of a material (ε) to the permittivity of free space (ε₀).
In mathematical terms:
\[ \text{Relative Permittivity (εr)} = \frac{\text{Permittivity of the material (ε)}}{\text{Permittivity of free space (ε₀)}} \]
Where:
- \(\text{Permittivity of free space (ε₀)}\) is a constant approximately equal to \(8.854 \times 10^{-12} \text{ F/m} \) (farads per meter).
- \(\text{Permittivity of the material (ε)}\) varies depending on the material.
The relative permittivity gives an indication of how much a material can store electrical energy in an electric field compared to a vacuum. High values of relative permittivity suggest that a material can store more electrical energy than a vacuum. This property is crucial in designing capacitors, insulators, and other electronic components.