FORCE BETWEEN THE PLATES OF A PLANE CAPACITOR IN A FLUID - A RIGOROUSTHERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS

A critical analysis of the literature on the deduction of the well-kno wn expression of the attractive force between the plates of a plane-pa rallel capacitor completely immersed in a linear dielectric fluid is p resented. Then, rigorous deductions of this force are proposed. It is shown that, contrary to the statement reported in most references, no pressure difference exists between the fluid within the plates and the external fluid.