Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / Paper 1 / Section C / C8 / e / Solution

Use $Q=CV$ for the magnitude of charge on either plate. The fully filled capacitance is $C_f=2\pi {ϵ}_0ϵL/\ln (b/a)$, while the initial value is given in part (c). At the same fixed electric potential difference,For $ϵ>1$ and positive $V$, this is an increase in the positive plate's electric charge magnitude, supplied by the voltage source; the negative plate acquires an equal opposite change. The net free charge of the two-plate capacitor remains zero. Thus “charge on the capacitor” has its usual circuit meaning, not the algebraic sum over both plates.