0

If we have the electric field on the surface of a conductor being $E=\sigma / \epsilon_0$ where $\sigma$ is the charge per unit area then why is the combined $E$ field from two parallel plates not 2x this result?

Qmechanic
  • 220,844
Jake
  • 553

1 Answers1

1

The field for one infinite plane is half of what you typed (there are two surfaces to include in gauss's law). Your thought is correct. Note that the planes must be oppositely charged in order for the charge to be $\sigma/\epsilon_0$.