Dielectric Constant

Insulating medium separating the plates of a capacitor is called dielectric. A capacitor with vacuum dielectric has the lowest-possible capacitance for its plate size and spacing. Any other dielectric medium would increase its capacitance. Dielectric constant, also sometimes called specific inductive capacity or relative permittivity, is the factor by which the capacitance of a vacuum capacitor will be increased if the vacuum dielectric is replaced with another insulating medium. The corresponding constant for magnetism is relative permeability. ©2004 Tigertek, Inc. All rights reserved.

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