Catholic University

Name: CHRISTIAN BALDEON SILVA Level: 1 A Professor: MA John Moscoso

Capacitors

Function

Capacitors store electric charge. They are used with resistors in timing circuits because it takes time for a
capacitor to fill with charge. They are used to smooth varying DC supplies by acting as a reservoir of charge. They
are also used in filter circuits because capacitors easily pass AC (changing) signals but they block DC (constant)
signals.

Capacitance

This is a measure of a capacitor's ability to store charge. A large capacitance means that more charge can be
stored. Capacitance is measured in farads, symbol F. However 1F is very large, so prefixes are used to show the
smaller values.

Three prefixes (multipliers) are used, µ (micro), n (nano) and p (pico):

 µ means 10-6 (millionth), so 1000000µF = 1F

 n means 10-9 (thousand-millionth), so 1000nF = 1µF
 p means 10-12 (million-millionth), so 1000pF = 1nF

Capacitor values can be very difficult to find because there are many types of capacitor with different labelling
systems!

There are many types of capacitor but they can be split into two groups, polarised and unpolarised. Each group
has its own circuit symbol.

Polarised capacitors (large values, 1µF +)

Examples:        Circuit symbol:   

Electrolytic Capacitors

Electrolytic capacitors are polarised and they must be connected the correct way round, at least one of their leads
will be marked + or -. They are not damaged by heat when soldering.

There are two designs of electrolytic capacitors; axial where the leads are attached to each end (220µF in picture)
and radial where both leads are at the same end (10µF in picture). Radial capacitors tend to be a little smaller and
they stand upright on the circuit board.

It is easy to find the value of electrolytic capacitors because they are clearly printed with their capacitance and
voltage rating. The voltage rating can be quite low (6V for example) and it should always be checked when
selecting an electrolytic capacitor. It the project parts list does not specify a voltage, choose a capacitor with a
rating which is greater than the project's power supply voltage. 25V is a sensible minimum for most battery
circuits.

Tantalum Bead Capacitors

Tantalum bead capacitors are polarised and have low voltage ratings like electrolytic capacitors. They are
expensive but very small, so they are used where a large capacitance is needed in a small size.

Modern tantalum bead capacitors are printed with their capacitance, voltage and polarity in full. However older
ones use a colour-code system which has two stripes (for the two digits) and a spot of colour for the number of
zeros to give the value in µF. The standard colour code is used, but for the spot, grey is used to mean × 0.01 and
white means × 0.1 so that values of less than 10µF can be shown. A third colour stripe near the leads shows the
voltage (yellow 6.3V, black 10V, green 16V, blue 20V, grey 25V, white 30V, pink 35V). The positive (+) lead is to
the right when the spot is facing you: 'when the spot is in sight, the positive is to the right'.

For example:   blue, grey, black spot   means 68µF

For example:   blue, grey, white spot   means 6.8µF
For example:   blue, grey, grey spot   means 0.68µF

Unpolarised capacitors (small values, up to 1µF)

Examples:        Circuit symbol:   

Small value capacitors are unpolarised and may be connected either way round. They are not damaged by heat
when soldering, except for one unusual type (polystyrene). They have high voltage ratings of at least 50V, usually
250V or so. It can be difficult to find the values of these small capacitors because there are many types of them and
several different labelling systems!

Many small value capacitors have their value printed but without a multiplier, so you need to use experience to
work out what the multiplier should be!

For example 0.1 means 0.1µF = 100nF.

Sometimes the multiplier is used in place of the decimal point:

For example:   4n7 means 4.7nF.

Capacitor Number Code

A number code is often used on small capacitors where printing is difficult:

 the 1st number is the 1st digit,
 the 2nd number is the 2nd digit, Colour Code
 the 3rd number is the number of zeros to give the capacitance Colour Number
in pF.
 Ignore any letters - they just indicate tolerance and voltage Black 0
rating.
Brown 1
For example:   102   means 1000pF = 1nF   (not 102pF!) Red 2
Orange 3
For example:   472J means 4700pF = 4.7nF (J means 5% tolerance).
Yellow 4
Green 5

Capacitor Colour Code Blue 6

Violet 7
A colour code was used on polyester capacitors for many years. It is
now obsolete, but of course there are many still around. The colours Grey 8
should be read like the resistor code, the top three colour bands White 9
giving the value in pF. Ignore the 4th band (tolerance) and 5th band
(voltage rating).

For example:
     brown, black, orange   means 10000pF = 10nF = 0.01µF.

Note that there are no gaps between the colour bands, so 2 identical bands actually appear
as a wide band.

For example:

    wide red, yellow   means 220nF = 0.22µF.

Polystyrene Capacitors

This type is rarely used now. Their value (in pF) is normally printed without units. Polystyrene capacitors can be
damaged by heat when soldering (it melts the polystyrene!) so you should use a heat sink (such as a crocodile clip).
Clip the heat sink to the lead between the capacitor and the joint.

Real capacitor values (the E3 and E6 series)

You may have noticed that capacitors are not available with every possible value, for example 22µF and 47µF are
readily available, but 25µF and 50µF are not!

Why is this? Imagine that you decided to make capacitors every 10µF giving 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and so on. That
seems fine, but what happens when you reach 1000? It would be pointless to make 1000, 1010, 1020, 1030 and so
on because for these values 10 is a very small difference, too small to be noticeable in most circuits and capacitors
cannot be made with that accuracy.

To produce a sensible range of capacitor values you need to increase the size of the 'step' as the value increases.
The standard capacitor values are based on this idea and they form a series which follows the same pattern for
every multiple of ten.

The E3 series (3 values for each multiple of ten)

10, 22, 47, ... then it continues 100, 220, 470, 1000, 2200, 4700, 10000 etc.
Notice how the step size increases as the value increases (values roughly double each time).

The E6 series (6 values for each multiple of ten)

10, 15, 22, 33, 47, 68, ... then it continues 100, 150, 220, 330, 470, 680, 1000 etc.
Notice how this is the E3 series with an extra value in the gaps.

The E3 series is the one most frequently used for capacitors because many types cannot be made with very
accurate values.

Variable capacitors

Variable capacitors are mostly used in radio tuning circuits and they are sometimes called 'tuning capacitors'.
They have very small capacitance values, typically between 100pF and 500pF (100pF = 0.0001µF). The type
illustrated usually has trimmers built in (for making small adjustments - see below) as well as the main
variable capacitor.

Many variable capacitors have very short spindles which are not suitable for the standard
knobs used for variable resistors and rotary switches. It would be wise to check that a suitable knob is available
before ordering a variable capacitor.

Variable capacitors are not normally used in timing circuits because their capacitance is too small to
be practical and the range of values available is very limited. Instead timing circuits use a fixed capacitor and a
variable resistor if it is necessary to vary the time period.
Trimmer capacitors

Trimmer capacitors (trimmers) are miniature variable capacitors. They are designed to be mounted directly
onto the circuit board and adjusted only when the circuit is built.

A small screwdriver or similar tool is required to adjust trimmers. The process of

adjusting them requires patience because the presence of your hand and the tool will slightly change the
capacitance of the circuit in the region of the trimmer!

Trimmer capacitors are only available with very small capacitances, normally less than 100pF. It is
impossible to reduce their capacitance to zero, so they are usually specified by their minimum and maximum
values, for example 2-10pF.

Trimmers are the capacitor equivalent of presets which are miniature variable resistors.
I.Read the paragragh above and answer the following questions.

1.Why are capacitors used with resistors in timing circuits? … because it takes time for a capacitor to fill with
charge ….

2.What does a large capacitance mean and how is capacitance measured? … A large capacitance means that more
charge can be stored. Capacitance is measured in farads, symbol F …..

3.Why are prefixes used? ……because prefixes are used to show the smaller value…….………………………

4.How many types of capacitor are there? … There are many types of capacitor but they can be split into two
groups, polarised and unpolarised.……

5.What are Electrolytic capacitors’ characteristics? … Electrolytic capacitors are polarised and they must be
connected the correct way round ……………………………….………………………….

6.What is the difference between axial & radial capacitor? … axial where the leads are attached to each end,and
radial where both leads are at the same end …………………………………………………

7.What are the Tantalum bead capacitors’ characteristics? …Tantalum bead capacitors are polarised and have
low voltage ratings like electrolytic capacitors. They are expensive but very small, so they are used where a large
capacitance is needed in a small size………………………..

8.What does blue, grey, white spot mean? ………… means 6.8µF ……………….……………………………

9.Why was a colour code used on polyester capacitors? … because the colours should be read like the resistor code
……………………….………………………………

10.Where are variable capacitors mostly used & Why? …… Variable capacitors are mostly used in radio tuning
circuits because they have very small capacitance values, typically between 100pF and 500pF
……………………………….…………………..

II.Label the picture

Plastic insulation Negative charge Dielectric Aluminum Positive charge Metal plate

POSITIVE CHARGER
 NEGATIVE CHARGER

DIELECTRIC

METALLIC PLATE

ALUMINUN

PLASTIC INSULATION

III.Match True or False in the following sentences. If it is FALSE, EXPLAIN WHY?

1.Capacitors are used to smooth varying AC supplies. They are used with resistors in
timing circuits __F___
2.Capacitance is measured in Ohms, symbol O. Capacitance is measured in farads, symbol F
__F___
3.Capacitor values can be very difficult to find. __T__
4.The voltage rating can be quite high (45V for example) The voltage rating can be quite low (6V for
example) __F___
5.Blue, grey, grey spot means 0.68µF. __T___
6.Polystyrene capacitors can be damaged by heat when soldering. __T___
7.Capacitors are available with every possible value. capacitors are not available with every
possible value __F___
8.The E3 series is the one most frequently used for capacitors. __T___
9.Trimmer capacitors (trimmers) are big variable capacitors. are miniature variable capacitors.
__F___
10.Trimmer capacitors are only available with very small capacitances. __T___

IV.Identify the following definitions.

Transformer AC power supply Voltage regulator DC power supply Motor

Circuit Breaker Voltage multipliers Inductor Fuse Battery

… Voltage regulator ….. An electronic circuit used to maintain a level amount of voltage in
an electrical line. It eliminates power surges, spikes and brownouts, which can cause harm
to sensitive electronics
…… Inductor ……… is a passive electronic component that stores energy in the form of a
magnetic field. In its simplest form, an inductor consists of a wire loop or coil
…Voltage multipliers .. are circuits designed to multiply the input voltage. The input voltage
may be doubled (voltage doubler), tripled (voltage tripler), quadrupled (voltage quadrupler),
etc
… AC power supply .. typically takes the voltage from a wall outlet (mains supply, often 230v
in Europe) and lowers it to the desired voltage (e.g. 9vac).

…DC power supply ….. AC powered unregulated power supply usually uses a transformer
to convert the voltage from the wall outlet (mains) to a different, nowadays usually lower,
voltage. If it is used to produce DC, a rectifier is used to convert alternating voltage to a
pulsating direct voltage, followed by a filter, comprising one or more capacitors, resistors,
and sometimes inductors, to filter out (smooth) most of the pulsation
 ……Transformer…………. A device used to transfer electric energy from one circuit to
another, especially a pair of multiply wound, inductively coupled wire coils that effect such
a transfer with a change in voltage, current, phase, or other electric characteristic.

……… Circuit Breaker…. contains an element that heats, bends and triggers a spring which
shuts the circuit down. Once the element cools, and the problem is identified the breaker
can be reset and the power restored.

… Motor ………. A device that converts any form of energy into mechanical energy,
especially an internal-combustion engine or an arrangement of coils and magnets that
converts electric current into mechanical power.

…… Fuse… It is a piece of wire, often in a casing that improves its electrical

characteristics. If too much current flows, the wire becomes hot and melts.

… Battery …. is an alternative to a line-operated power supply; it is independent of the

availability of mains electricity, suitable for portable equipment and use in locations
without mains power

V.Self - test

1.What is the approximate total capacitance of the parallel circuit in Fig.

 a) 320pF

 b) 147pF 

 c) 3.2nF 

 d) 1.47nF

2.What is the approximate total capacitance of the series circuit shown in Fig.

 a) 1.6nF 

 b) 576pF 

 c) 14.4pF 

 d) 12pF

3.When might it be necessary to use a 2 µF polyester capacitor rather than a 2 µF electrolytic capacitor?

 a) When High Voltages are present 

 b) When the capacitor passes AC 

 c) In low temperature conditions 

 d) When small size is the most important factor

4.When a DC voltage is applied to a capacitor in its uncharged state:-

 a) The capacitor voltage will be maximum but fall after a short time 

 b) The voltage will gradually rise at the same rate as the applied current 

 c) Maximum current will flow immediately 

 d) Maximum current will flow until the capacitor is fully charged

5.As a capacitor charges

  a) Electrons gather on the negative plate and displace electrons from the positive plate. 

 b) Electrons flow across the dielectric layer until the capacitor is fully charged 

 c) Electrons gather on the positive plate displacing electrons from the negative plate. 

 d) Current only flows through the capacitor for a short time.

6.What type of capacitor does the symbol shown in Fig. 2.5.3 represent?

 a) A preset capacitor 

 b) An electrolytic capacitor 

 c) A variable capacitor 

 d) A ganged capacitor

7.Calculate the value of capacitance needed to store 1 µC of charge at 10V

 a) 10 µF 

 b) 1nF 

 c) 100nF 

 d) 10nF

8.Refer to Fig. 2.5.4. If a voltage is applied across the capacitor network shown, which individual
capacitor has the largest voltage across it? 

 a) C1 

 b) C2 

 c) C3 

 d) C4

9.What is the approximate total capacitance of the network shown in Fig. 2.5.4?

 a) 13.05nF 

 b) 1.01uF 

 c) 391pF 

 d) 2.3nF

10.Capacitance is directly proportional to:

 a) The distance between the plates 

 b) The area of the plates 

 c) The dielectric strength 

 d) The charge multiplied by the applied voltage

1.A series-parallel electric is illustrated below. What is the intensity of the current flowing from the power
source, Is?
 R2 and R3 experience the same voltage, so V2 = I2R2 = (0.5)75 = 37.5 V and
            I= V3/R3 = 37.5/100 = 0.375A
            So total current = 0.5 + 0.375 = 0.875 A

7.An electric circuit is illustrated below. What is the current intensity, I, in resistors R2 and R3?

Req = 1/R4 + 1/(R2+R3)

Req = 1/10 + 1/( 3 + 7)
Req = 5 .
            Rt = R1 + Req = 7 + 5 = 12 .
            It = Vt/Rt = 6/12 = 0.5 A
            The current flowing through R2 and R3 will be the same as what’s on top (since R
is the same), so it will be 0.5/2 = 0.25A