Parallel Plate Capacitor: Practice Problem & Solution

Short Solution (Best for NEET):

To solve this problem, we apply the core principles of Parallel Plate Capacitor. Understanding the underlying formula is key to arriving at the correct answer below:

The arrangement appears to be a system of parallel plates connected alternately to terminals

$a$

and

$b$

. Let’s determine the net capacitance.

Key Observations:

1. The plates form a series-parallel combination.
2. The area of each plate is
   $A$ 

   , and the separation between adjacent plates is $d$ 

   .

3. The effective configuration can be reduced to find the equivalent capacitance.

Equivalent Capacitance Derivation:

1. Pairing of Plates:
   • Adjacent plates (connected alternately) act as capacitors.
   • Each capacitor has a capacitance
     $C = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d}$ 

     .

2. Parallel and Series Combination:
   • There are three capacitors in the arrangement, effectively forming a single network.
   • The middle plate shares equal charge with both sides, simplifying to an equivalent capacitance of
     $\frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d}$ 

     .

Thus, the net capacitance is:

$$C_{\text{net}} = \frac{\varepsilon_0 A}{d}.$$