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Question

In a capacitor, the dielectric material is used to:

This question was previously asked in
RRB ALP 2025 CBT 2 Wiremen Question Paper (28-Jul-2026) (Shift 2)
The correct answer is

Insulate the plates from each other

A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field created between two conducting plates placed very close to one another.

For charge of opposite polarity to accumulate on the two plates, the plates must be kept from touching; if they touched, the stored charge would simply neutralise and no energy could be held.

The dielectric is a non-conducting (insulating) material inserted in the gap. Its primary role is to keep the plates electrically separated so that positive charge builds on one plate and negative on the other.

Beyond separation, the dielectric becomes polarised by the field and this reduces the effective field, allowing more charge to be stored for a given voltage, which raises the capacitance and the safe working voltage.

It cannot reduce the supply voltage, because a passive insulator does not lower an applied source; nor can it join the plates, which is the opposite of its insulating purpose.

It also cannot increase current flow, since an ideal dielectric blocks conduction between the plates rather than carrying current through itself.

Hence, the answer is Insulate the plates from each other.

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