An air-filled parallel plate capacitor of capacitance C is charged with a battery of emf V . The battery is removed, and the distance between the plates is doubled. Which of the following best describes how the energy stored in the capacitor has changed and provides reasoning to justify this claim? A. The stored energy has increased, because work was required to pull the oppositely charged plates apart. B. The stored energy has decreased, because the capacitance is now less and the potential difference across the plates remains the same. C. The stored energy has increased, because the capacitance and potential difference across the plates have both increased. D. The stored energy has decreased, because potential difference across the plates has decreased. E. The stored energy has remained the same, because the capacitance has decreased and the potential difference across the plates has increased.

An air-filled parallel plate capacitor of capacitance C is charged with a battery of emf V . The battery is removed, and the distance between the plates is doubled. Which of the following best describes how the energy stored in the capacitor has changed and provides reasoning to justify this claim? A. The stored energy has increased, because work was required to pull the oppositely charged plates apart. B. The stored energy has decreased, because the capacitance is now less and the potential difference across the plates remains the same. C. The stored energy has increased, because the capacitance and potential difference across the plates have both increased. D. The stored energy has decreased, because potential difference across the plates has decreased. E. The stored energy has remained the same, because the capacitance has decreased and the potential difference across the plates has increased.