Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance

Electric potential is a scalar quantity, Potential is measured in volts, Potential decreases with distance from a positive charge, Potential is zero at infinity

Electric potential is a scalar quantity measured in volts. It decreases with distance from a positive charge and is taken as zero at infinity. Work done in electrostatic field is path independent, not path dependent.

Area of the plates, Distance between plates, Dielectric constant of medium

For a parallel plate capacitor, C = ε₀A/d or Kε₀A/d with dielectric. Capacitance depends on area (A), separation (d), and dielectric constant (K), but not on charge or potential difference.

½CV², ½Q²/C, ½QV

The energy stored in a capacitor can be expressed in three equivalent forms: U = ½CV² = ½Q²/C = ½QV. All three expressions are correct and equivalent.

Increases

When a dielectric material with dielectric constant K is inserted, the capacitance increases by a factor K. The new capacitance becomes C = KC₀ where C₀ is the original capacitance.