Capacitance Calculator
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The principle of capacitance was first discovered by Ewald Georg von Kleist in 1745 and independently by Pieter van Musschenbroek in 1746 with the Leyden jar. Modern capacitor theory was developed through the work of Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century.
| Formula | Description |
|---|---|
| Q = C × V | Basic charge equation |
| C = ε₀εᵣA/d | Parallel plate capacitance |
| E = ½CV² | Energy stored |
| τ = RC | Time constant |
Capacitance is a measure of a component's ability to store electric charge. It is measured in farads (F) and represents how much electric charge can be stored for a given voltage. The larger the capacitance, the more charge can be stored at a given voltage.
Several factors influence capacitance: • Plate area (larger area = more capacitance) • Distance between plates (smaller distance = more capacitance) • Dielectric material type and thickness • Operating temperature • Operating frequency
Capacitors serve many purposes: • Energy storage and smoothing • AC coupling and DC blocking • Timing circuits • Power factor correction • Filtering and noise suppression • Tuning circuits
In AC circuits, capacitors: • Create impedance inversely proportional to frequency • Cause current to lead voltage by 90° • Store energy in electric fields • Can resonate with inductors • Block DC while passing AC