Overview
The dielectric constant (κ), or relative permittivity (ϵᵣ), measures a material’s ability to store electrical energy in an electric field. It compares the electric flux a material can store to that of a vacuum, where κ is 1. Materials with higher dielectric constants can store more electrical energy, making them essential in electrical and electronic applications, The dielectric constant κ is calculated as

Where:

• ϵ is the permittivity of the material.

• ϵ0 is the permittivity of free space.

Significance
Dielectrics are essential in capacitor design, insulating materials, and telecommunications.