Re: dielectric constant

[Wolfgang Rueckner <rueckner@FAS.HARVARD.EDU>]

If the result wasn't spectacular, maybe the "filling factor" wasn't
optimized.  Try just a plastic zip-lock type of bag between the plates and
fill it with water.  Wolfgang


> > A thin rectangular plastic cell is placed between two capacitor plates and
> > the capacitance is noted.  Then fill the cell with water while it's still
> > sitting between the plates and watch the capacitance go way up!  Wolfgang
>
> Thanks, Wolfgang. I've thought of a variant on that which I will try.
> I'm glad someone has seen this done.
>
> After writing the paragraph above I went down to the demonstration
> room where my colleague Jeff Rudd keeps lots of sealing wax and string
> handy. In no time flat we concocted a capacitor which is an adaptation
> of Wolfgang's suggestion. It wasn't spectacular (I had hoped it would
> be), but the capacitance increased by thirty percent when the water
> was added. I will post details, with photos on my web site, tomorrow.
>
> Leigh