Capacitors

Capacitor

An electrical device used to store electrical energy, consisting of two conductive plates separated by a dielectric, storing charge proportional to the potential difference.

Capacitance

The ability of a capacitor to store charge, measured in farads (F), depending on physical characteristics like plate area, distance, and dielectric properties.

Dielectric

An insulating material between capacitor plates increasing capacitance by polarizing molecules, enhancing charge storage capacity.

Parallel Plate Capacitor

A capacitor with two parallel conducting plates of area A separated by distance d, storing charge with capacitance C = ε₀A/d.

Equivalent Capacitance

The total capacitance of capacitors connected in parallel, calculated as the sum of individual capacitances, Ceq = C1 + C2 + ... + Cn.

Time Constant

The duration of time for a capacitor to reach 63.2% of its maximum charge during charging or fall to 0.368 of its maximum charge during discharging.

Exponential Charge Build-Up

The process where charge accumulates exponentially on a capacitor during charging.

Discharging Process

The process where a charged capacitor releases its stored energy through a resistor after being disconnected from the power source.

Energy Stored in Capacitor

The energy expended during the charging process and stored in the electrostatic field of the dielectric medium of a capacitor.

Capacitor Discharge

The exponential decay of charge on a capacitor during discharging, taking an infinite amount of time to fully discharge.

Capacitor Energy Limit

The maximum energy or charge that can be stored in a capacitor due to the risk of discharge between plates at high voltages.

Potential Difference

The voltage between the plates of a capacitor, which increases as charge accumulates and decreases as the capacitor discharges.

Capacitor Energy Formula

The formula U = 0.5 * C * V^2, representing the energy stored in a capacitor based on its capacitance and potential difference.