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In the figure shown, the area of every plate is A, and the distance between adjacent plates is d. What is the equivalent capacitance between the points A and B?

Asked in GUJCET 2013 · Capacitor networks

Figure: Capacitor networks
Answer: (1) (2ε₀A)/(3d)

Step-by-step solution

Given: four plates 1–4, each of area A, with adjacent gaps d. Plate 1 is joined to A, plate 3 to B, and plates 2 and 4 are joined to each other.

Idea: each gap between facing plates is a capacitor C = (ε₀A)/d; plates joined by a wire are one node.

Gap 1–2 lies between A and the node formed by plates 2 and 4.

Gaps 2–3 and 3–4 each lie between plate 3 (that is, B) and that same node, so they are in parallel: 2C.

So C is in series with 2C: C_AB = (C×2C)/(C+2C) = (2C)/3.

C_AB = (2ε₀A)/(3d).

Why the other options are wrong

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