310102l Capacitance and Capacitive Reactance 2025 (TF)

Capacitance

The ability of an electrical device to store energy in an electrostatic field.

Capacitor

An electrical component that can store and release an electrical charge.

Dielectric Strength

The maximum electric field that a dielectric material can withstand without breaking down.

Microfarad (µF)

A unit of capacitance equal to 10^-6 farads.

Picofarad (pF)

A unit of capacitance equal to 10^-12 farads.

Dielectric Constant

A measure of a material's ability to insulate charges from each other compared to a vacuum.

Charging a Capacitor

The process of supplying a capacitor with electrical energy.

Discharging a Capacitor

The process of releasing stored energy from a capacitor.

Coulomb (C)

The unit of electric charge, defined as the amount of charge transported by a constant current of one ampere in one second.

RC Time Constant

The time required for the voltage across a capacitor to charge to approximately 63.2% of the maximum voltage when charging or decrease to about 36.8% when discharging.

Capacitive Reactance

The opposition that a capacitor offers to changing current, measured in ohms.

ICE Relationship

In a capacitive circuit, current (I) leads voltage (E) by 90 degrees.

Relative Permittivity (εr)

A dimensionless number that describes how much the electric field is reduced in a medium compared to a vacuum.

Distant Between Plates (d)

The separation between the plates of a capacitor, which affects its capacitance.

Area of Plates (A)

The surface area of one of the plates in a capacitor, which influences the capacitor's capacitance.