Capacitor And Capacitance

capacitor and capacitance

– capacitor

A capacitor is a device that stores electrical charge. It is composed of two conducting plates separated by an insulating material called a dielectric. The amount of charge that a capacitor can store is determined by its capacitance, which is measured in farads.

What is a Capacitor – Definition

& Types ?

A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field. It is a passive electronic component with two terminals. The basic function of a capacitor is to store energy in the form of an electrostatic field.

Capacitors are used in a wide variety of applications, including electronic filters, coupling circuits, decoupling circuits, power supply filters, energy storage devices, and timing circuits.

The two types of capacitors are electrolytic and non-electrolytic. Electrolytic capacitors are made with a thin layer of aluminum oxide that acts as the dielectric material. Non-electrolytic capacitors are made with other materials, such as paper, plastic, or mica.

Capacitor Symbols

Capacitor symbols are used to represent capacitors in electrical schematics. Capacitors are two-terminal electrical components that store energy in an electric field. The most common capacitor symbol is a pair of parallel lines, with the gap between the lines representing the dielectric material that separates the conductors.

Energy of Capacitor

: %.4e J\n’,E)
fprintf(‘Reactance of Inductor: %.4e Ohm\n’,X_l)
fprintf(‘Reactance of Capacitor: %.4e Ohm\n’,X_c)
fprintf(‘Input Impedance: %.4e Ohm\n’,Z_in)
fprintf(‘Bandwidth: %.4f MHz\n’,bw*10^-6)
fprintf(‘Output Voltage: %.4e V\n’,v_out)
fprintf(‘Output Current: %.4e A\n’,i_out)
fprintf(‘Output Power: %.4e W\n’,P_out)
fprintf(‘Output impedance: %.4e Ohm\n’,Z_out)
%End of code

Capacitor in Series

If capacitors are connected in series, the total capacitance of the combination is less than any of the individual capacitors’ capacitances. This relationship is inversely proportional to the sum of the reciprocals of the individual capacitors’ capacitances:

$$C_{Total} = \frac{1}{\frac{1}{C_1} + \frac{1}{C_2} + \frac{1}{C_3} \cdots }$$

If a capacitor with a capacitance $C_1$ is connected in series with another capacitor with a capacitance $C_2$, the total capacitance of the combination is given by

$$C_{Total} = \frac{1}{\frac{1}{C_1} + \frac{1}{C_2}}$$

Example: Find the total capacitance of a combination of capacitors in series.

Source: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/capser.html

Capacitors in Parallel

If capacitors are connected in parallel, the total capacitance of the combination is greater than any of the individual capacitors’ capacitances. This relationship is directly proportional to the sum of the individual capacitors’ capacitances:

$$C_{Total} = C_1 + C_2 + C_3 \cdots $$

Capacitor in Parallel

A capacitor in parallel stores more energy than a capacitor in series because the potential difference across a capacitor in parallel is always equal to the potential difference across the battery. This is because the potential difference across the capacitor plates is equal to the potential difference across the battery.

Factors affecting Capacitance

There are several factors affecting the value of capacitance of a capacitor:

The size of the capacitor plates. The larger the capacitor plates, the larger the capacitance.

The distance between the capacitor plates. The closer the plates, the larger the capacitance.

The dielectric constant of the medium between the capacitor plates. The larger the dielectric constant, the larger the capacitance.

Capacitor Types

There are many types of capacitors available. The most common types are:

Aluminum electrolytic capacitor.

Ceramic capacitor.

Mica capacitor.

Paper capacitor.

Polycarbonate capacitor.

Polyester capacitor.

Polystyrene capacitor.

Tantalum electrolytic capacitor.

Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor

An aluminum electrolytic capacitor is a capacitor in which one of the capacitor plates is an aluminum oxide film. The other capacitor plate is a piece of aluminum. The aluminum oxide film has a high dielectric constant, so an aluminum electrolytic capacitor has a high capacitance. An aluminum electrolytic capacitor is usually used for power supplies.

Ceramic Capacitor

A ceramic capacitor is a capacitor in which one of the capacitor plates is a ceramic disk. The other capacitor plate is a piece of aluminum. A ceramic capacitor has a high capacitance. A ceramic capacitor is usually used for power supplies

Uses of a Capacitor

A capacitor can be used in a wide variety of applications, including in electrical circuits, as an energy storage device, in filters and tuning circuits, and in RC circuits.

10 Fun Facts about Capacitors

1. Capacitors were first invented in 1745 by Ewald Georg von Kleist.

2. The name “capacitor” comes from the fact that they store a “charge” of electricity.

3. Capacitors are used in a wide variety of electronic devices, including radios, TVs, computers, and cell phones.

4. Capacitors can be made from a variety of materials, including metal foil, paper, and plastic.

5. Capacitors come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the tiny capacitors used in electronic devices to the large capacitors used in power plants.

6. Capacitors can store a large amount of electricity, even enough to power a small appliance like a toaster.

7. Capacitors can be dangerous if they are not used properly. They can explode if they are overloaded with electricity.

8. Capacitors are often used in conjunction with other electronic components, such as resistors and inductors, to create electrical circuits.

9. Capacitors are used in a variety of scientific applications, including particle accelerators and particle detectors.

10. Capacitors are also used in some medical devices, such as pacemakers and defibrillators.