Physics

Physics · electromagnetism

Problem

Consider an LC circuit with one inductor and one capacitor. The amplitude of the charge on the plates of the capacitor is Q=10CQ=10 \mathrm{C} and the two plates are initially at a distance d=1 cmd=1 \mathrm{~cm} away from each other. The plates are then slowly pushed together to a distance 0.5 cm0.5 \mathrm{~cm} from each other. Find the resultant amplitude of charge on the parallel plates of the capacitor after this process is completed. Note that the initial current in the circuit is zero and assume that the plates are grounded. Given constants: - Proton mass, mp=1.67⋅10−27 kgm_{p}=1.67 \cdot 10^{-27} \mathrm{~kg} - Neutron mass, mn=1.67⋅10−27 kgm_{n}=1.67 \cdot 10^{-27} \mathrm{~kg} - Electron mass, me=9.11⋅10−31 kgm_{e}=9.11 \cdot 10^{-31} \mathrm{~kg} - Avogadro's constant, N0=6.02⋅1023 mol−1N_{0}=6.02 \cdot 10^{23} \mathrm{~mol}^{-1} - Universal gas constant, R=8.31 J/(mol⋅K)R=8.31 \mathrm{~J} /(\mathrm{mol} \cdot \mathrm{K}) - Boltzmann's constant, kB=1.38⋅10−23 J/Kk_{B}=1.38 \cdot 10^{-23} \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{K} - Electron charge magnitude, e=1.60⋅10−19Ce=1.60 \cdot 10^{-19} \mathrm{C} - 1 electron volt, 1eV=1.60⋅10−19 J1 \mathrm{eV}=1.60 \cdot 10^{-19} \mathrm{~J} - Speed of light, c=3.00⋅108 m/sc=3.00 \cdot 10^{8} \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s} - Universal Gravitational constant, G=6.67⋅10−11( N⋅m2)/kg2G=6.67 \cdot 10^{-11}\left(\mathrm{~N} \cdot \mathrm{m}^{2}\right) / \mathrm{kg}^{2} - Solar Mass M⊙=1.988⋅1030 kgM_{\odot}=1.988 \cdot 10^{30} \mathrm{~kg} - Acceleration due to gravity, g=9.8 m/s2g=9.8 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}^{2} - 1 unified atomic mass unit, 1u=1.66⋅10−27 kg=931MeV/c21 \mathrm{u}=1.66 \cdot 10^{-27} \mathrm{~kg}=931 \mathrm{MeV} / \mathrm{c}^{2} - Planck's constant, h=6.63⋅10−34 J⋅s=4.41⋅10−15eV⋅sh=6.63 \cdot 10^{-34} \mathrm{~J} \cdot \mathrm{s}=4.41 \cdot 10^{-15} \mathrm{eV} \cdot \mathrm{s} - Permittivity of free space, ϵ0=8.85⋅10−12C2/(N⋅m2)\epsilon_{0}=8.85 \cdot 10^{-12} \mathrm{C}^{2} /\left(\mathrm{N} \cdot \mathrm{m}^{2}\right) - Coulomb's law constant, k=14πϵ0=8.99⋅109( N⋅m2)/C2k=\frac{1}{4 \pi \epsilon_{0}}=8.99 \cdot 10^{9}\left(\mathrm{~N} \cdot \mathrm{m}^{2}\right) / \mathrm{C}^{2} - Permeability of free space, μ0=4π⋅10−7 T⋅m/A\mu_{0}=4 \pi \cdot 10^{-7} \mathrm{~T} \cdot \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{A} - Magnetic constant, μ04π=1⋅10−7( T⋅m)/A\frac{\mu_{0}}{4 \pi}=1 \cdot 10^{-7}(\mathrm{~T} \cdot \mathrm{m}) / \mathrm{A} - 1 atmospheric pressure, 1 atm=1.01⋅105 N/m2=1.01⋅105 Pa1 \mathrm{~atm}=1.01 \cdot 10^{5} \mathrm{~N} / \mathrm{m}^{2}=1.01 \cdot 10^{5} \mathrm{~Pa} - Wien's displacement constant, b=2.9b=2.9. 10−3 m⋅K10^{-3} \mathrm{~m} \cdot \mathrm{K} - Stefan-Boltzmann constant, σ=5.67⋅10−8 W/m2/K4\sigma=5.67 \cdot 10^{-8} \mathrm{~W} / \mathrm{m}^{2} / \mathrm{K}^{4}
Intuitive explanation

In an LC circuit, energy oscillates between the capacitor and inductor. When you slowly change the capacitor's geometry, you're doing work on the system—but the key is that "slowly" means adiabatically, so the oscillation frequency changes while the adiabatic invariant (action divided by frequency) stays constant. Since capacitance C∝1/dC \propto 1/d, halving the plate separation doubles CC, which changes the resonant frequency. Use the adiabatic invariant I=E/ωI = E/\omega to relate the initial and final charge amplitudes, where EE is the total energy and ω\omega is the angular frequency.

Intuitive explanation

In an LC circuit, energy oscillates between the capacitor and inductor. When you slowly change the capacitor's geometry, you're doing work on the system—but the key is that "slowly" means adiabatically, so the oscillation frequency changes while the adiabatic invariant (action divided by frequency) stays constant. Since capacitance C∝1/dC \propto 1/d, halving the plate separation doubles CC, which changes the resonant frequency. Use the adiabatic invariant I=E/ωI = E/\omega to relate the initial and final charge amplitudes, where EE is the total energy and ω\omega is the angular frequency.

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