Module 3

Physics of Materials

1. What is the polarization produced in sodium chloride by an electric field of 600

v/mm, if it has a dielectric constant of 6? (Given, 0 = 8.854 × 10−12 ).
Soln :

E = 600v/mm, r = 6, P =?
We have,

P = 0 (r − 1)E

P = 8.854 × 10−12 (6 − 1)600 × 103

P = 2.66 × 10−5 C/m2

2. When sodium chloride crystal is subjected to an electric field of 50 v/cm, the resulting
polarization is 2.215 × 10−7 C/m2 . Calculate the relative permittivity of N aCl?
Soln :

E = 50v/cm, P = 2.215 × 10−7 C/m2 , r =?

We have,

P = 0 (r − 1)E
or

P
r = 1 +
0 E

2.215 × 10−7
r = 1 +
8.854 × 10−12 × 50 × 102

r = 6.006

3. Calculate the electronic polarizability of argon atom. Given, r = 1.0024 and N =

2.7 × 1025 atoms/m3 .
Soln :
We have,

0 (r − 1)
αe =
N

8.854 × 10−12 (1.0024 − 1)

αe =
2.7 × 1025

1
 αe = 7.9 × 10−40 F m2

4. An elemental solid dielectric material has polarizability 7 × 10−40 F m2 . Assuming

the internal field to be lorentz field, calculate the dielectric constant for the material, if the
material has 3 × 1028 atoms/m3 .
Soln :

αe = 7 × 10−40 F m2 , N = 3 × 1028 atoms/m3 , r =?

We have,

(r − 1) N αe
=
(r + 2) 30

(r − 1) 3 × 1028 × 7 × 10−40

=
(r + 2) 3 × 8.854 × 10−12
(r − 1)
= 0.7906
(r + 2)

r = 12.33

5. The atomic weight and density of sulphur are 32 and 2.08 × 103 Kg/m3 , respectively.
The electronic polarizability of the atom is 3.28 × 10−40 F m2 . If sulphur solid has cubical
symmetry, what will be its relative dielctric constant? (Given, Avagadro number (NA ) =
6.026 × 1026 atoms/K − mol)
Soln :

αe = 3.28 × 10−40 F m2 , M = 32, ρ = 2.08 × 103 Kg/m3 , r =?

We have,

NA × Density
N=
Atomic weight

6.026 × 1026 × 2.08 × 103

N=
32

N = 3.916 × 1028

(r − 1) N αe
=
(r + 2) 30

(r − 1) 3.916 × 1028 × 3.28 × 10−40

=
(r + 2) 3 × 8.854 × 10−12

r = 3.8

2
 6. The dielectric constant of sulphur is 3.4. Assuming a cubic lattice for its structure,
calculate the electronic polarizability of sulphur. Given, For sulphur, ρ = 2.07 × 103 Kg/m3 ,
atomic weight = 32.07 and Avagadro number (NA ) = 6.026 × 1026 atoms/K − mol
Soln :
We have,

NA × Density
N=
Atomic weight

6.026 × 1026 × 2.07 × 103

N=
32.07

N = 3.89 × 1028

(r − 1) N αe
=
(r + 2) 30

αe = 3.035 × 10−40 F m2

7. If a N aCl crystal is subjected to an electric field of 1000 v/m and the resulting
polarization is 4.3 × 10−8 C/m2 . Calculate the dielectric constant of N aCl?
Soln :

E = 1000v/m, P = 4.3 × 10−8 C/m2 , r =?

We have,

P = 0 (r − 1)E
or

P
r = 1 +
0 E

4.3 × 10−8
r = 1 +
8.854 × 10−12 × 1000

r = 5.855

8. A parallel plate capacitor of area 650 mm2 and a plate separation of 4 mm has a
charge of 2 × 10−10 C on it. What is the resultant voltage across capacitor, when a material
of dielectric constant 3.5 is induced between the plates.
Soln :

A = 650 × 10−6 m2 , d = 4 × 10−3 m, Q = 2 × 10−10 C, r = 3.5, V =?

We have,

o r A
C= and Q = CV
d

3
 or

Q Qd
V = =
C o r A

2 × 10−10 × 4 × 10−3
V =
8.854 × 10−12 × 3.5 × 650 × 10−6

V = 39.73 V olts

9. A parallel plate capacitor of two plates each of area 5 × 10−4 m2 , separated by a

distance 1.5 × 10−3 m and filled with a dielectric of relative permittivity 6. Calculate the
charge on the capacitor if it is connected to a 100 V dc supply?
Soln :

A = 5 × 10−4 m2 , d = 1.5 × 10−3 m, V = 100V, r = 6, Q =?

We have,

o r A
C= and Q = CV
d
or

V o r A
Q=
d

Q = 1.77 × 10−9 C

10. The critical temperature of material is 9.15 K. At zero kelvin, the critical field is
0.196 T . Calculate the critical field at 8 K?
Soln :

Tc = 9.15K, Ho = 0.196T, T = 8K, Hc =?

We have,
"  2 #
T
Hc = Ho 1 −
Tc
"  2 #
8
Hc = 0.196 1 −
9.15

Hc = 0.046 T

11. The critical field of niobium is 1 × 105 A/m at 8 K and 2 × 105 A/m at 0 K.
Calculate the critical temperature of the element.
Soln :

Hc = 1 × 105 A/m, Ho = 2 × 105 A/m, T = 8K, Tc =?

4
 We have,
"  2 #
T
Hc = Ho 1 −
Tc
or

(Ho )1/2 T
Tc =
(Ho − Hc )1/2

(2 × 105 )1/2 × 8
Tc =
(2 × 105 − 1 × 105 )1/2

Tc = 11.3 K

12. Find the resistivity of intrinsic germanium at 300K. Given that, intrinsic density
carriers is 2.5 × 1019 /m3 , µe = 0.39 m2 V −1 s−1 and µh = 0.19 m2 V −1 s−1
Soln :

σi = eni (µe + µh )

σi = 2.32

1
ρi = = 0.43 Ωm
σi

13. Compute the concentration of intrinsic charge carriers in a germanium crystal at

300K. Given that, Eg = 0.72eV and assume m∗e = me
Soln :
Intrinsic charge concentration,
 3
2πme kT 2 Eg
ni = 2 e− 2kT
h2

ni = 3.4 × 1019 m−3