Summary
■ A capacitor consists of two conductors separated by an insulator, or dielectric. Its ability to store charge is the capacitance C.
Applying voltage to store charge is called charging the capacitor; short-circuiting the two leads or terminals of the capacitor to
neutralize the charge is called discharging the capacitor. Schematic symbols for C are summarized in Fig. 16–30.
Figure 16–30 Schematic symbols for types of C. (a ) Fixed type with air, paper, plastic film, mica, or ceramic dielectric. (b) Electrolytic type,
which has polarity. (c ) Variable. (d ) Ganged variable capacitors on one shaft.
(a )
■ The unit of capacitance is the farad.
One farad of capacitance stores one
coulomb of charge with one volt
applied. Practical capacitors have
much smaller capacitance values
from 1 pF to 1000 F. A capacitance
of 1 pF is 1 1012 F; 1 F  1 
106 F; and 1 nF  1  109 F.
■ Q  CV, where Q is the charge in
coulombs, C the capacitance in
farads, and V is the potential
difference across the capacitor
in volts.
■ Capacitance increases with larger
plate area and less distance between
plates.
■ The ratio of charge stored in different
to 10 M
.
insulators to the charge stored in air
Important Terms
Capacitance (C ) the ability of a
dielectric to hold or store an electric
charge. The more charge stored for a
given voltage, the greater the
capacitance.
Capacitor a component that can
store electric charge. A capacitor
consists of two metal plates separated
by an insulator. Capacitors are named
according to the type of dielectric
used. Common capacitor types include
air, ceramic, plastic film, mica, paper,
and aluminum electrolytic.
Charging increasing the amount of
charge stored in a capacitor. The
accumulation of stored charge results
Capacitance
sch10858_ch16_470-509.indd 501
 
or or
 
(b ) (c )
is the dielectric constant K of the
material. Air or vacuum has a
dielectric constant of 1.
■ The most common types of
commercial capacitors are air, plastic
film, paper, mica, ceramic, and
electrolytic. Electrolytics are the only
capacitors that require observing
polarity when connecting to a circuit.
The different types are compared in
Table 16–2.
■ Capacitors are coded to indicate their
capacitance in either microfarads
(F) or picofarads (pF).
■ For parallel capacitors,
CT  C1  C2  C3  . . .  etc.
in a buildup of voltage across the
capacitor.
Condenser another (older) name for a
capacitor.
Dielectric absorption the inability of
a capacitor to discharge completely
to zero. Dielectric absorption is
sometimes called battery action or
capacitor memory.
Dielectric constant, K a factor that
indicates the ability of an insulator to
concentrate electric flux, also known
as relative permittivity, r.
Dielectric material another name for
an insulator.
Ganged
tuning
(d )
■ For series capacitors,
CEQ  _____ 1
_1 _ 1 _ 1  . . .  etc.
C1 C2 C3
■ The electric field of a capacitance has
stored energy   1⁄2 CV 2, where V is
in volts, C is in farads, and electric
energy is in joules.
■ When checked with an analog
ohmmeter, a good capacitor shows
charging current, and then the
ohmmeter reading steadies at the
leakage resistance. All types except
electrolytics normally have very high
leakage resistance such as 100,000 M
or more. Electrolytics have more
leakage current; a typical leakage
resistance is about 500 k
Dielectric strength the ability of a
dielectric to withstand a potential
difference without internal arcing.
Discharging the action of neutralizing
the charge stored in a capacitor by
connecting a conducting path across
the capacitor leads.
Electric field the invisible lines of
force between opposite electric
charges.
Equivalent series resistance (ESR) a
resistance in series with an ideal
capacitor that collectively represents
all losses in a capacitor. Ideally, the ESR
of a capacitor should be zero.
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 Farad (F) unit the basic unit of capacitor when voltage is applied Nanofarad (nF) a small unit of
capacitance. 1 F  _ 1C across the capacitor plates. capacitance equal to 1  109 F.
1V
Ganged capacitors two or three Leakage resistance a resistance Picofarad (pF) a small unit of
capacitor sections on one common in parallel with a capacitor that capacitance equal to 1  1012 F.
shaft that can be rotated. represents all leakage paths through Relative permittivity, r a factor that
which a capacitor can discharge. indicates the ability of an insulator to
Leakage current the current that
flows through the dielectric of a Microfarad (F) a small unit of concentrate electric flux, also known
capacitance equal to 1  106 F. as the dielectric constant, K.

Related Formulas
Q  CV coulombs CT  C1  C2  . . .  etc. (parallel capacitors)
C Q CEQ  _____ 1 (series capacitors)
V 1 _
_ 1 _ 1  . . .  etc.
Q C1 C2 C3
V
C Energy    1⁄2 CV 2 joules
A  8.85  1012 F
C  K  
d

Self-Test
Answers at back of book. 5. A capacitor consists of b. electrolytic.
a. two insulators separated by a c. mica.
1. In general, a capacitor is a conductor.
component that can d. air-variable.
b. a coil of wire wound on an iron
a. pass a dc current. core. 9. One of the main applications of a
b. store an electric charge. c. two conductors separated by an capacitor is to
c. act as a bar magnet. insulator. a. block ac and pass dc.
d. step up or step down an ac voltage. d. none of the above. b. block both dc and ac.
c. block dc and pass ac.
2. The basic unit of capacitance is the 6. A capacitance of 82,000 pF is the
same as d. pass both dc and ac.
a. farad.
b. henry. a. 0.082 F. 10. When checked with an ohmmeter,
c. tesla. b. 82 F. a shorted capacitor will measure
d. ohm. c. 82 nF. a. infinite ohms.
d. both a and c. b. zero ohms.
3. Which of the following factors c. somewhere in the range of 1 to
affect the capacitance of a 7. A 47-F capacitor has a stored 10 M .
capacitor? charge of 2.35 mC. What is the
voltage across the capacitor d. none of the above.
a. the area, A, of the plates.
plates?
b. the distance, d, between the plates. 11. The equivalent capacitance, CEQ,
c. the type of dielectric used.
a. 50 V. of a 10-F and a 40-F capacitor
b. 110 V approx. in series is
d. all of the above.
c. 5 V. a. 50 F.
4. How much charge in coulombs is d. 100 V. b. 125 F.
stored by a 50-F capacitor with c. 8 F.
20 V across its plates? 8. Which of the following types of
d. 400 F.
a. Q  100 C. capacitors typically has the highest
leakage current?
b. Q  2.5 C.
a. plastic-film.
c. Q  1 mC.
d. Q  1 C.

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 12. A 0.33-F capacitor is in parallel
with a 0.15-F and a 220,000-pF
capacitor. What is the total
capacitance, CT?
a. 0.7 F.
b. 0.007 F.
.
c. 0.07 F.
d. 7 nF.
13. A 5-F capacitor, C1, and a 15-F
capacitor, C2, are connected in
series. If the charge stored in C1
equals 90 C, what is the voltage
across the capacitor C2?
a. 18 V.
b. 12 V.
c. 9 V.
d. 6 V.
14. A plastic-film capacitor, whose
coded value is 333M, measures
0.025 F when tested with a
capacitor-inductor analyzer. The
measured capacitance is
a. well within tolerance.
b. barely within tolerance.
c. slightly out of tolerance.
d. right on the money.
15. Capacitors are never coded in
a. nanofarad units.
b. microfarad units.
c. picofarad units.
d. both b and c.
17. The voltage rating of a capacitor is
not affected by
a. the area of the plates.
b. the distance between the plates.
c. the type of dielectric used.
d. both b and c.
18. The leakage resistance of a
capacitor is typically represented
as a(n)
a. resistance in series with the
capacitor plates.
b. electric field between the capacitor
plates.
c. resistance in parallel with the
capacitor plates.
d. closed switch across the dielectric
material.
19. A 2200-F capacitor with a
voltage rating of 35 V is most
likely a(n)
a. electrolytic capacitor.
b. air-variable capacitor.
c. mica capacitor.
d. paper capacitor.
20. A capacitor that can store 100 C
of charge with 10 V across its
plates has a capacitance value of
a. 0.01 F.
b. 10 F.
c. 10 nF.
d. 100 mF.
22. The equivalent series resistance
(ESR) of a capacitor should ideally
be
a. infinite.
b. as high as possible.
c. around 100 k
d. zero.
23. The charge and discharge current
of a capacitor flows
a. through the dielectric.
b. to and from the capacitor plates.
c. through the dielectric only until the
capacitor is fully charged.
d. straight through the dielectric from
one plate to the other.
24. Capacitance increases with
a. larger plate area and greater
distance between the plates.
b. smaller plate area and greater
distance between the plates.
c. larger plate area and less distance
between the plates.
d. higher values of applied voltage.
25. Two 0.02-F, 500-V capacitors in
series have an equivalent
capacitance and breakdown
voltage rating of
a. 0.04 F, 1 kV.
b. 0.01 F, 250 V.
c. 0.01 F, 500 V.
d. 0.01 F, 1 kV.

16. Which type of capacitor could 21. Calculate the permissible

explode if the polarity of voltage capacitance range of a ceramic
across its plates is incorrect? disk capacitor whose coded value
a. air-variable. is 0.068Z.
b. mica. a. 0.0544 F to 0.1224 F.
c. ceramic disk. b. 0.0136 F to 0.0816 F.
d. aluminum electrolytic. c. 0.0136 F to 0.1224 F.
d. 0.0544 pF to 0.1224 pF.

Essay Questions
1. Define capacitance with respect to physical structure and 4. Define 1 F of capacitance. Convert the following into
electrical function. Explain how a two-wire conductor has farads using powers of 10: (a) 50 pF; (b) 0.001 F;
capacitance. (c) 0.047 F; (d) 0.01 F; (e) 10 F.

2. (a) What is meant by a dielectric material? (b) Name five 5. State the effect on capacitance of (a) larger plate area;
common dielectric materials. (c) Define dielectric flux. (b) thinner dielectric; (c) higher value of dielectric
constant.
3. Explain briefly how to charge a capacitor. How is a
charged capacitor discharged?

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 6. Give one reason for your choice of the type of capacitor
to be used in the following applications: (a) 80-F
capacitance for a circuit where one side is positive and
the applied voltage never exceeds 150 V; (b) 1.5-pF
capacitance for an rf circuit where the required voltage
rating is less than 500 V; (c) 5-F capacitance for an
audio circuit where the required voltage rating is less
than 25 V.
7. Give the capacitance value of six-dot mica capacitors
color-coded as follows: (a) black, red, green, brown,
black, black; (b) white, green, brown, black, silver, brown;
(c) brown, green, black, red, gold, blue.
11. Define the following: (a) leakage resistance; (b) dielectric
absorption; (c) equivalent series resistance.
12. Give two comparisons between the electric field in a
capacitor and the magnetic field in a coil.
13. Give three types of troubles in capacitors.
14. When a capacitor discharges, why is its discharge current
in the direction opposite from the charging current?
15. Compare the features of aluminum and tantalum
electrolytic capacitors.

8. Draw a diagram showing the fewest number of 400-V, 16. Why can plastic film be used instead of paper for
2-F capacitors needed for a combination rated at 800 V capacitors?
with 2-F total capacitance.
17. What two factors determine the breakdown voltage
9. Suppose you are given two identical uncharged rating of a capacitor?
capacitors. One is charged to 50 V and connected across
the uncharged capacitor. Why will the voltage across
both capacitors then be 25 V?

10. Describe briefly how you would check a 0.05-F capacitor

with an ohmmeter. State the ohmmeter indications when
the capacitor is good, short-circuited, or open.

Problems
SECTION 16–3 THE FARAD UNIT OF CAPACITANCE 16–4 Determine the voltage, V, across a capacitor if
16–1 Calculate the amount of charge, Q, stored by a capacitor a. Q  2.5 C and C  0.01 F.
if
b. Q  49.5 nC and C  330 pF.
a. C  10 F and V  5 V.
c. Q  10 mC and C  1,000 F.
b. C  1 F and V  25 V.
d. Q  500 C and C  0.5 F.
c. C  0.01 F and V  150 V.
e. Q  188 nC and C  0.0047 F.
d. C  0.22 F and V  50 V.
f. Q  75 nC and C  0.015 F.
e. C  680 pF and V  200 V.
f. C  47 pF and V  3 kV. 16–5 Determine the capacitance, C, of a capacitor if
a. Q  15 C and V  1 V.
16–2 How much charge, Q, is stored by a 0.05-F capacitor if
b. Q  15 C and V  30 V.
the voltage across the plates equals
c. Q  100 C and V  25 V.
a. 10 V?
d. Q  3.3 C and V  15 V.
b. 40 V?
e. Q  0.12 C and V  120 V.
c. 300 V?
f. Q  100 C and V  2.5 k V.
d. 500 V?
e. 1 kV? 16–6 List the physical factors that affect the capacitance, C,
of a capacitor.
16–3 How much voltage exists across the plates of a
200-F capacitor if a constant current of 5 mA 16–7 Calculate the capacitance, C, of a capacitor for each set
charges it for of physical characteristics listed.
a. 100 ms? a. A  0.1 cm2, d  0.005 cm, K  1.
b. 250 ms? b. A  0.05 cm2, d  0.001 cm, K  500.
c. 0.5 s? c. A  0.1 cm2, d  1  105 cm, K  50.
d. 2 s? d. A  1 cm2, d  5  106 cm, K  6.
e. 3 s?

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 SECTION 16–6 CAPACITOR CODING
16–8 Determine the capacitance and tolerance of each of the capacitors shown in Fig. 16–31.

Figure 16–31

472M 103J 224K 273J 101J

200 V 200 V 100 V 100 V 250 V

(a) (b) (c) (d ) (e)

569F 104K 332M 680J

100 V 250 V 250 V 500 V

(f ) (g) (h) (i )

16–9 Determine the capacitance and tolerance of each of the capacitors shown in Fig. 16–32.

Figure 16–32

.0033Z .022P 182K .0047Z 104J .15M

Z5U Z5U Z5V Z5U Z5U Z5F
1 kV 500 V 1 kV 500 V 1 kV 1 kV

(a) (b) (c) (d ) (e) (f )

16–10 Determine the capacitance and tolerance of each of the capacitors shown in Fig. 16–33.

Figure 16–33
Red Brown Yellow
Violet Black Violet
Black Black Black

Red Black Red Red Red Brown

Gold Silver Silver
(a) (b) (c)

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 16–11 Determine the capacitance of each chip capacitor in 16–15 Determine the permissible capacitance range of the
Fig. 16–34. Use the coding scheme in Fig. 16–17. capacitors in
a. Fig. 16–31a.
b. Fig. 16–31d.
Figure 16–34 c. Fig. 16–31f.
d. Fig. 16–32c.
Q3 L4 W2 N4 e. Fig. 16–32d.

(a) (b) (c) (d ) 16–16 Explain the alphanumeric code, Z5U, for the capacitor
in Fig. 16–32b.

SECTION 16–7 PARALLEL CAPACITANCES

16–12 Determine the capacitance of each chip capacitor in 16–17 A 5-F and 15-F capacitor are in parallel. How much
Fig. 16–35. Use the coding scheme in Fig. 16–18. is CT?

16–18 A 0.1-F, 0.27-F, and 0.01-F capacitor are in parallel.

How much is CT?
Figure 16–35
16–19 A 150-pF, 330-pF, and 0.001-F capacitor are in parallel.
How much is CT?
56 C3 U4 22
16–20 In Fig. 16–38,
(a) (b) (c) (d )
a. how much voltage is across each individual capacitor?
b. how much charge is stored by C1?
16–13 Determine the capacitance of each chip capacitor in c. how much charge is stored by C2?
Fig. 16–36. d. how much charge is stored by C3?
e. what is the total charge stored by all capacitors?
f. how much is CT?
Figure 16–36
Blue Green Black Violet

K Y N T
Figure 16–38
(a) (b) (c) (d )


16–14 Determine the capacitance and tolerance of each VA  10 V C1  C2  C3 
capacitor in Fig. 16–37.  100 F 220 F 680 F

Figure 16–37

Silver Gold

SECTION 16–8 SERIES CAPACITANCES

Yellow Blue
Violet Orange Red 16–21 A 0.1-F and 0.4-F capacitor are in series. How much
Violet
Yellow Green is the equivalent capacitance, CEQ?

16–22 A 1500-pF and 0.001-F capacitor are in series. How

much is the equivalent capacitance, CEQ?
(a) (b)
16–23 A 0.082-F, 0.047-F, and 0.012 F capacitor are in
Silver Gold series. How much is the equivalent capacitance, CEQ?

16–24 In Fig. 16–39, assume a charging current of 180 A

Brown Gray flows for 1 s. Solve for
Yellow Green Green Red
Blue Violet a. CEQ.
b. the charge stored by C1, C2, and C3.
c. the voltage across C1, C2, and C3.
(c) (d) d. the total charge stored by all capacitors.

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 SECTION 16–9 ENERGY STORED IN ELECTROSTATIC
Figure 16–39
FIELD OF CAPACITANCE
16–27 How much energy is stored by a 100-F capacitor
which is charged to
a. 5 V?
C1  10 F
b. 10 V?
c. 50 V?

 16–28 How much energy is stored by a 0.027-F capacitor

VT  36 V C2  30 F which is charged to

a. 20 V?
b. 100 V?
c. 500 V?
C3  15 F
16–29 Calculate the energy stored by each capacitor in Fig. 16–39.

SECTION 16–10 MEASURING AND TESTING

CAPACITORS
16–30 Make the following conversions:
a. 0.047 F to pF.
16–25 In Fig. 16–40, assume a charging current of 2.4 mA b. 0.0015 F to pF.
flows for 1 ms. Solve for
c. 390,000 pF to F.
a. CEQ.
d. 1000 pF to F.
b. the charge stored by C1, C2, and C3.
c. the voltage across C1, C2, and C3. 16–31 Make the following conversions:
d. the total charge stored by all capacitors. a. 15 nf to pF.
b. 1 nF to pF.
c. 680 nF to pF.
d. 33,000 pF to nF.
Figure 16–40 e. 1,000,000 pF to nF.
f. 560,000 pF to nF.

16–32 A plastic-film capacitor has a coded value of 154K. If

the measured value of capacitance is 0.160 F, is the
C1  0.04 F
capacitance value within tolerance?

16–33 A ceramic disk capacitor is coded 102Z. If the measured

value of capacitance is 680 pF, is the capacitance within

VT  120 V C2  0.12 F tolerance?

16–34 A plastic-film capacitor has a coded value of 229B. If
the measured value of capacitance is 2.05 pF, is the
capacitance within tolerance?
C3  0.06 F
SECTION 16–11 TROUBLES IN CAPACITORS
16–35 What is the ohmmeter reading for a(n)
a. shorted capacitor.
b. open capacitor.
c. leaky capacitor.
16–26 How much capacitance must be connected in series 16–36 Describe the effect of connecting a 0.47-F capacitor
with a 120-pF capacitor to obtain an equivalent to the leads of an analog ohmmeter set to the R  10K
capacitance, CEQ, of 100 pF. range.

Critical Thinking
16–37 Three capacitors in series have a combined equivalent 16–38 A 100-pF ceramic capacitor has a temperature
capacitance CEQ of 1.6 nF. If C1  4C2 and C3  20C1, coefficient TC of N500. Calculate its capacitance at
calculate the values for C1, C2, and C3. (a) 75C; (b) 125C; (c) 25C.

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 16–39 (a) Calculate the energy stored by a 100-F capacitor (c) Is the energy stored by both capacitors in part (b) less
charged to 100 V. (b) If this capacitor is now connected than the energy stored by the single capacitor in part (a)?
across another 100-F capacitor that is uncharged, If yes, where did the energy go?
calculate the total energy stored by both capacitors.

Answers to Self-Reviews 16–1 a. dielectric 16–7 a. 0.03 F

b. farad b. 150 pF

16–2 a. 14.5 V 16–8 a. 0.1 F

b. 0 V b. 25 V
c. yes c. 33.3 pF

16–3 a. 10 F 16–9 a. true

b. ceramic b. true

16–4 a. true 16–10 a. true

b. false b. true
c. true c. false
d. true d. false

16–5 a. true 16–11 a. 0

b. true b. good
c. true c. electrolytic

16–6 a. false
b. true
c. true
d. true

Laboratory Application Assignment

In this lab application assignment you will examine the coding Is the measured value of any capacitor out of tolerance?
systems used to indicate the capacitance and tolerance of a ___________ If so, which one(s)? _______________________
capacitor. You will also measure the value of a capacitor using
either a Z meter or a DMM capable of measuring capacitance Series Capacitors
values. And finally, you will examine how capacitance values Connect a 0.1-F capacitor in series with a 0.047-F capacitor
combine when connected in series and in parallel. as shown in Fig. 16–41a. Calculate and record the equivalent
capacitance, CEQ, of this series combination. CEQ  ________
Equipment: Obtain the following items from your instructor.
Next, measure and record the equivalent capacitance, CEQ, across
• Assortment of plastic-film capacitors terminals A and B. CEQ  ________ Add another 0.022-F
• Z meter or DMM capable of measuring capacitance values capacitor, as shown in Fig. 16–41b. Calculate and record the
equivalent capacitance, CEQ, of this series combination.
Measuring Capacitance CEQ  ________ Finally, measure and record the equivalent
Obtain five plastic-film capacitors from your instructor. Make capacitance, CEQ, across terminals A and B. CEQ  ________
sure each capacitor has a different coded value. In the space
provided below, indicate the coded value of each capacitor. Next,
indicate the capacitance (in pF) corresponding to the coded
value, including the tolerance. Finally, measure and record each
capacitance value using either a Z meter or a DMM capable of
measuring capacitance values. (If a measured value is displayed
Figure 16–41
in nF or F, convert it to pF.) C1 C2
A B
Coded Value Capacitance Value Measured Value 0.1 F 0.047 F
__________ __________ __________ (a )
__________ __________ __________
C1 C2 C3
__________ __________ __________ A B
__________ __________ __________ 0.1 F 0.047 F 0.022 F
__________ __________ __________ (b )

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 Parallel Capacitors
Connect a 0.1-F capacitor in parallel with a 0.047-F
capacitor, as shown in Fig. 16–42a. Calculate and record the total
capacitance, CT, of this parallel combination. CT  ________
Next, measure and record the total capacitance, CT, across
terminals A and B. CT  ________ Add another 0.022-F
capacitor, as shown in Fig. 16–42b. Calculate and record the total
capacitance, CT, of this parallel combination. CT  ________
Finally, measure and record the total capacitance, CT, across
terminals A and B. CT  ________
Do capacitors in series combine the same way as resistors in
parallel? ________
Do capacitors in parallel combine the same way as resistors in
series? ________
Figure 16–42
A A
C1 C2
0.1 F 0.047 F
B B
(a )
Capacitance
sch10858_ch16_470-509.indd 509
Capacitor Leakage
Because there is no such thing as a perfect insulator, all
capacitors have a small amount of current flowing through the
dielectric. This current is called leakage current. For a good
capacitor, this leakage current is usually insignificant and
can therefore be ignored. Due to the very nature of their
construction, electrolytic capacitors have a much higher leakage
current than other types of capacitors. If a Z meter is available,
have your instructor demonstrate how it can be used to measure
the leakage current in a plastic-film and an electrolytic capacitor.
When checking for leakage, be sure to apply the rated working
voltage across the capacitor. Your instructor can also show you
how to test the ESR value of a capacitor.
C1 C2 C3
0.1 F 0.047 F 0.022 F
(b )
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