2.3: Permittivity
- Page ID
- 24206
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Permittivity describes the effect of material in determining the electric field in response to electric charge. For example, one can observe from laboratory experiments that a particle having charge \(q\) gives rise to the electric field \[{\bf E} = \hat{\bf R} ~ q ~ \frac{1}{4\pi R^2} ~ \frac{1}{\epsilon} \nonumber \] where \(R\) is distance from the charge, \(\hat{\bf R}\) is a unit vector pointing away from the charge, and \(\epsilon\) is a constant that depends on the material. Note that \({\bf E}\) increases with \(q\), which makes sense since electric charge is the source of \({\bf E}\). Also note that \({\bf E}\) is inversely proportional to \(4\pi R^2\), indicating that \({\bf E}\) decreases in proportion to the area of a sphere surrounding the charge – a principle commonly known as the inverse square law. The remaining factor \(1/\epsilon\) is the constant of proportionality, which captures the effect of material. Given units of V/m for \({\bf E}\) and C for \(Q\), we find that \(\epsilon\) must have units of farads per meter (F/m). (To see this, note that 1 F \(=\) 1 C/V.)
Permittivity (\(\epsilon\), F/m) describes the effect of material in determining the electric field intensity in response to charge.
In free space (that is, a perfect vacuum), we find that \(\epsilon = \epsilon_0\) where: \[\epsilon_0 \cong 8.854 \times 10^{-12} ~\mbox{F/m} \nonumber \] The permittivity of air is only slightly greater, and usually can be assumed to be equal to that of free space. In most other materials, the permittivity is significantly greater; that is, the same charge results in a weaker electric field intensity.
It is common practice to describe the permittivity of materials relative to the permittivity of free space. This relative permittivity is given by: \[\epsilon_r \triangleq \frac{\epsilon}{\epsilon_0} \nonumber \] Values of \(\epsilon_r\) for a few representative materials is given in Appendix A1. Note that \(\epsilon_r\) ranges from 1 (corresponding to a perfect vacuum) to about 60 or so in common engineering applications. Also note that relative permittivity is sometimes referred to as dielectric constant. This term is a bit misleading, however, since permittivity is a meaningful concept for many materials that are not dielectrics.