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An isolated conducting sphere of radius $R$ initially at potential $V_0$ has charge $Q=4\pi {ϵ}_{0}R{V}_0$. Inserting it without contact into the hollow inner conductor of a long coaxial cylindrical capacitor conserves that charge. The neutral inner conductor acquires $-Q$ on its cavity wall and $+Q$ outside. With the outer conductor grounded, the annular electric field is $Q/(2\pi {ϵ}_{0}lr)$ and the inner potential is the displayed result. The original electric potential is not conserved. End effects are neglected; exact cavity fields are geometry-dependent.

A driven cylindrical conductor between two grounded coaxial conductors forms two coaxial cylindrical capacitors in parallel. For radii $a,\lambda a,2a$, the capacitance per unit length is the sum $C^{\prime }=2\pi {ϵ}_0[1/\log \lambda +1/\log (2/\lambda )]$. Writing $u=\log \lambda$ and $L=\log 2$, the function $1/u+1/(L-u)$ is strictly convex on $(0,L)$ and symmetric about $L/2$. Hence $C^{\prime }$ has its unique minimum at $\lambda =\sqrt{2}$, with value $8\pi {ϵ}_0/\log 2$. As $\lambda =1+\delta$ approaches the inner conductor, $C^{\prime }\sim 2\pi {ϵ}_0/\delta$, agreeing with the local parallel-plate capacitor approximation.

A long coaxial cylindrical capacitor of length $L$ and radii $a,b$ has a dielectric-filled overlap of length $x$ and relative permittivity ${ϵ}_r$. Neglecting end and interface fringing, its filled and vacuum portions are in parallel because both share the same two conductors. The electric potential difference $V$ produces $E_r=V/[r\ln (b/a)]$ in either portion; the electric displacement field and electrode charge differ by the local permittivity. Adding their capacitances gives the title formula. The dielectric boundary is axial while the interior electric field is radial and tangential to that interface, consistent with the electrostatic interface boundary conditions.

Neglect end effects, so the electrostatic potential depends only on the cylindrical radius $r$. The radial Laplace equation is $(r{\varphi }^{\prime }{)}^{\prime }=0$, with general solution $A\log r+B$. Imposing the conductor boundary conditions givesThe radial electric field is $E_r=-{\varphi }^{\prime }$. Just inside the middle cylinder it is $-V/[\lambda a\log \lambda ]$, directed towards the inner cylinder; just outside it is $V/[\lambda a\log (2/\lambda )]$, directed towards the outer cylinder. By Gauss's law, its charge per unit length isHence the capacitance per unit length isThe two coaxial cylindrical capacitors contribute in parallel because both connect the middle cylinder to the same grounded potential. This is the coaxial capacitor with grounded inner and outer cylinders construction.

For $\lambda =1+\delta$ with $\delta \to 0^{+}$, $\log \lambda =\delta +O({\delta }^2)$ while $\log (2/\lambda )\to \log 2$. ThereforeThe inner gap has width $a\delta$ and area per unit length approximately $2\pi a$. Its parallel-plate capacitor approximation gives exactly the same leading result; the outer gap contributes only a bounded correction.

For the extremum, set $u=\log \lambda$, $L=\log 2$, so $0<u<L$. ThenThus the unique stationary point is $u=L/2$. Strict convexity and divergence at both endpoints show it is a global minimum:There is no maximum on $1<\lambda <2$.

Take the inner conductor to be at potential $V$ above the outer. A cylindrical Gauss law surface of length $\ell$ encloses charge $\lambda \ell$ and gives $E_{r}2\pi r\ell =\lambda \ell /{ϵ}_0$. The potential difference isThus the coaxial cylindrical capacitor field and charge areThe perfectly conducting surfaces have no tangential electric field in this idealized steady model.

A capacitor consists of two conductors carrying equal and opposite charges. Its capacitance iswhere $Q$ is the magnitude of the charge on either conductor and $V$ is their potential difference.

For $a<r<b$, a coaxial Gaussian cylinder of length $\ell$ encloses charge $\lambda \ell$. Gauss's law givesTaking $V$ to mean the inner potential minus the outer potential,Since $Q=\lambda L$,

The field energy isThese are the standard coaxial cylindrical capacitor formulas.

The grounded outer cylinder fixes $\Phi (a)=0$. Integrating the annular electric field inward givesEquivalently, the coaxial cylindrical capacitor has $C_{\mathrm{cyl}}=2\pi {ϵ}_{0}l/\log (a/b)$ and carries charge $Q=4\pi {ϵ}_{0}RV$, so $\Phi (b)=Q/C_{\mathrm{cyl}}$. The original sphere potential $V$ is used to infer its conserved charge; it is not the final potential of the sphere or of the inner cylinder.

For $b<r<a$, a coaxial Gauss surface of length $l$ encloses net charge $Q$: the sphere and the cavity-wall charge cancel, leaving $+Q$ on the outside of the inner conductor. In the long-cylinder approximation,The electric field points radially outward for $V>0$. End effects and axial nonuniformity near the openings are excluded by the ideal coaxial cylindrical capacitor approximation.

The integral and differential forms of Gauss's law in vacuum areFor an isolated spherical conductor, symmetry gives $E(r)=Q/(4\pi {ϵ}_0{r}^2)$ outside and zero inside. Taking electric potential zero at infinity, $V(R)={\int }_R^{\infty }E(r)dr=Q/(4\pi {ϵ}_{0}R)$. Thus the capacitance of an isolated conducting sphere isCharging from zero gives the electrostatic potential energyThis is also the integral of electric field energy density ${ϵ}_0{E}^2/2$ outside the sphere. The later insertion into a coaxial cylindrical capacitor conserves its electric charge, not its original isolated electric potential.

Use opposite electric charges $\pm Q$ over a common length $L$, and write the inner linear charge density as $\lambda =Q/L$. Away from the ends, axisymmetry and Gauss's law on a coaxial cylindrical Gaussian surface of length $\ell$ giveThe electric potential difference and capacitance of the coaxial cylindrical capacitor areThis neglects the fringing field of a capacitor at the ends, as justified when $L\gg b$.

In electrostatics, the Maxwell equations in matter areHere ${\rho }_f$ is free charge density and $\mathbf{P}$ is polarization density. For a homogeneous isotropic linear dielectric, the constitutive equation is $\mathbf{D}={ϵ}_0{ϵ}_r\mathbf{E}$. Integrating the first equation over a thin pillbox straddling an interface, with unit normal $\mathbf{n}$ from medium 1 to medium 2, gives $\mathbf{n}\cdot ({\mathbf{D}}_2-{\mathbf{D}}_1)={\sigma }_f$. Integrating the second around a vanishingly narrow rectangular loop gives $\mathbf{n}\times ({\mathbf{E}}_2-{\mathbf{E}}_1)=0$. These are the electrostatic interface boundary conditions. When there is no free surface electric charge, the normal electric displacement field and tangential electric field are continuous; the normal electric field generally is not.

Neglect end fringing field of a capacitor. In either axial segment of the coaxial cylindrical capacitor, a cylindrical Gaussian surface gives $D_r={\lambda }_f/(2\pi r)$, where ${\lambda }_f$ is free electric charge per length. Integrating the radial electric field between the conductors givesThe liquid and air segments share the same conductor electric potential difference, so their capacitances add in parallel. Thus the partially filled coaxial capacitor hasHere the question's $ϵ$ is relative permittivity, and air's relative permittivity is approximated by one.

Write $x$ for the rise above the external level. The wide reservoir keeps that level approximately fixed. At constant applied voltage, one must include work done by the source: the appropriate electrical contribution to the mechanical potential is $-C{V}^2/2$. The upward dielectric insertion force at fixed voltage is consequentlyThe excess hydrostatic pressure $\rho gx$ acts over the annular area $A=\pi (b^2-a^2)$. Alternatively its gravitational potential energy is $\rho gA{x}^2/2$, since liquid initially at the reservoir level must be raised through all heights from zero to $x$. Balancing the derivatives givesThis assumes $h+x<L$, a communicating liquid reservoir, negligible capillarity, and a sufficiently long capacitor that end effects are small. Differentiating gives the dielectric-rise voltmeter's sensitivity at a bias $V$:To obtain its numerical value in $\mu \mathrm{m}{\mathrm{V}}^{-1}$, multiply the right-hand side in SI units by $10^6$. A convenient parametric scale, with $\beta =b/a$, isFor a concrete estimate, choose $a=1\mathrm{mm}$, $b=2\mathrm{mm}$, mass density $\rho =10^3\mathrm{kg}{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$, relative permittivity $ϵ=2$ and operating voltage $V=100\mathrm{V}$. These are illustrative choices, not supplied apparatus data. They giveThus this millimetre-scale example requires fine optical displacement measurement for volt-level changes. The parametric formula states exactly how the estimate changes with the chosen geometry, liquid and bias.

The displacement is quadratic in voltage, cannot distinguish its sign, and has zero first-order sensitivity at zero bias. Smaller gaps and larger relative permittivity increase sensitivity, but capillarity, leakage, dielectric breakdown, temperature-dependent liquid properties, and finite available rise then limit performance. A nonconducting liquid avoids a sustained conduction load, although charging still draws electric charge and leakage is possible. A high voltage can give a readable displacement; a low-voltage instrument would require fine displacement measurement and careful calibration.

Consider a long uniform length $\ell$ of a coaxial cylindrical capacitor, with permittivity ${ϵ}_0{ϵ}_r$ and inner-cylinder charge per unit length $\lambda$. A cylindrical Gaussian surface givesThe electric potential difference isThus its capacitance per unit length is $c({ϵ}_r)=2\pi {ϵ}_0{ϵ}_r/\ln (b/a)$.

In the partially filled coaxial capacitor, the vacuum section of length $L-x$ and the dielectric section of length $x$ share the same two conductors and hence the same electric potential difference. They are electrically in parallel, not in series. The radial electric field is tangent to the axial dielectric interface, consistent with the boundary condition in part (b). Adding their charges givesThis is the leading long-capacitor expression, neglecting end and interface-fringing corrections. The stated $x\gg b$ supports a long filled section; treating the other section as uniform also requires it to be well away from the end regions when those corrections matter.