Within a capacitor, the insulating material between plates is called what?

• A. Dielectric
• B. Insulator
• C. Substrate
• D. Conductor

Answer: (A)

The material between the plates of a capacitor is called a dielectric. It’s a non-conductive substance that prevents current from flowing directly between the plates while allowing the electric field to polarize the material, which increases the capacitor’s ability to store charge for a given voltage. This insulation between plates is what raises capacitance by the material’s relative permittivity, letting the capacitor hold more energy without leaking. The other terms are broader or refer to different parts: an insulator is a general non-conductive material, a substrate is the base layer of a board, and a conductor is something that carries current, like the plates themselves.