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A parallel-plate capacitor with a dielectric has capacitance C = kappa epsilon_0 A / d, where kappa is the dielectric constant of the material between the plates. According to the table of dielectric constants for common materials, which of the following has the largest dielectric constant?
ANeoprene rubber
BFused quartz glass
COrdinary tap water
DStrontium titanate
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Strontium titanate
1. A larger dielectric constant kappa means a larger capacitance for the same geometry.
2. Neoprene rubber has kappa about 6.7 and fused quartz glass has kappa about 3.78, both far below 233.
3. Ordinary tap water has kappa about 80, larger than those two but still much smaller than strontium titanate's 233, which is the largest value in the table.
_Source: OpenStax Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 18 "Static Electricity", section Dielectrics_
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