Question Details

A parallel plate capacitor made of circular plates is being charged such that the surface charge density on its plates is increasing at a constant rate with time. The magnetic field arising due to displacement current is:

Options

A

zero at all places

B

constant between the plates and zero outside the plates.

C

non-zero everywhere with maximum at the imaginary cylindrical surface connecting peripheries of the plates.

D

zero between the plates and non-zero outside.

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option C

non-zero everywhere with maximum at the imaginary cylindrical surface connecting peripheries of the plates.

non-zero everywhere with maximum at the imaginary cylindrical surface connecting peripheries of the plates.

Solution :

The correct answer is: non-zero everywhere with maximum at the imaginary cylindrical surface connecting peripheries of the plates.

Let us analyze the magnetic field inside and outside a charging parallel plate capacitor with circular plates of radius R.
Let the surface charge density on the plates at any time t be σ(t). We are given that σ is increasing at a constant rate, so:
dσdt=k (where k is a constant).

The electric field E between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor is uniform (neglecting fringing effects near the edges) and is given by:
E=σε0
Since σ varies with time, the electric field between the plates also varies with time:
dEdt=1ε0dσdt=kε0

According to Maxwell's Ampere Law, a changing electric field creates a displacement current. The displacement current density Jd is given by:
Jd=ε0dEdt=ε0kε0=k
This displacement current acts as a source of magnetic field. Let us find the magnetic field B at a distance r from the central axis of the circular plates using Ampere's Law:
B·dl=μ0Id,enclosed

Case 1: Inside the plates (rR)
The displacement current enclosed by a loop of radius r is:
Id,enclosed=Jd·πr2=kπr2
Applying Ampere's Law:
B·2πr=μ0kπr2
B=μ0k2r
Thus, inside the plates, the magnetic field B increases linearly with r (Br).

Case 2: Outside the plates (r>R)
The total displacement current is confined within the plates of radius R. Therefore, for any loop of radius r>R, the enclosed displacement current is constant and equal to:
Id,enclosed=Jd·πR2=kπR2
Applying Ampere's Law:
B·2πr=μ0kπR2
B=μ0kR22r
Thus, outside the plates, the magnetic field decreases inversely with r (B1r).

Conclusion:
The magnetic field is non-zero everywhere (except at the exact center axis r=0). It increases linearly inside the capacitor, reaches its maximum value at the periphery of the plates where r=R (which forms an imaginary cylindrical surface connecting the peripheries of the plates), and then decreases as 1/r outside the plates.

Unlock Our Free Library

Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.

Discover more resources

You may also like

Mock Tests

View All
  • JEE
  • intermediate
  • 3 hours
  • chemistry, mathematics, physics
  • Proctored

  • JEE
  • intermediate
  • 3 hours
  • chemical engineering, mathematics, physics

Ask AI Tutor
5 left
Q1 View Question & Options
AI Tutor is solving this question...
Reading question context & options...