Introduction to

Capacitance and
Capacitors
Capacitance is a fundamental property of electrical circuits that
describes the ability of a component to store electric charge.
Capacitors are devices designed to leverage this property, enabling
them to serve crucial roles in electronic systems.

FA by Francis Joy BUENDIA

Defining Capacitance
Capacitance is the ability of an electronic component to store an
electric charge. It is a fundamental property of all electrical circuits and
is measured in the unit of farads (F). Capacitance is determined by the
physical characteristics of the component, such as the size and
separation of its conductive plates.

A capacitor is the basic electronic component that stores electrical

energy in the form of an electric field. The capacitance of a capacitor
depends on factors like the surface area of the plates, the distance
between the plates, and the dielectric material in between them.
Factors Affecting Capacitance
1. Plate Area ¾ - Larger plates lead to greater capacitance by increasing the surface area for
charge storage.
2. Plate Separation ú - Decreasing the distance between plates boosts capacitance, as the
electric field strength increases.

3. Dielectric Material ! - Using an insulating material (dielectric) between plates can significantly
raise capacitance by enhancing the electric field.
Types of Capacitors
Ceramic Capacitors
Ceramic capacitors are widely used for their
small size, low cost, and high reliability.
They are composed of ceramic dielectric
materials sandwiched between metallic
electrodes.
Film Capacitors
Film capacitors use a thin plastic film as the
dielectric material. They offer excellent
stability, low leakage, and high voltage
handling capabilities.
Electrolytic Capacitors
Electrolytic capacitors have a much higher
capacitance per unit volume compared to
other types. They use a liquid or solid
electrolyte to provide one of the plate
materials.
Tantalum Capacitors
Tantalum capacitors are compact, reliable,
and have a high capacitance-to-volume
ratio. They are often used in electronics due
to their small size and high performance.
Capacitor Behavior in DC
Circuits
In direct current (DC) circuits, capacitors exhibit unique behaviors. They
act as open circuits initially, allowing no current to flow. Over time, they
charge up and eventually behave like short circuits, permitting current
to flow freely.

The rate at which a capacitor charges or discharges depends on factors

like the capacitance value and the resistance in the circuit. This
behavior is crucial for various applications, such as filtering, timing, and
energy storage in DC systems.
Capacitor Behavior in AC Circuits
Capacitive Reactance 1
In AC circuits, capacitors exhibit a
property called capacitive reactance,
which opposes the flow of alternating 2 Phase Shift
current and varies inversely with Capacitors cause a phase shift
frequency. between the voltage and current in an
AC circuit, with the current leading
the voltage by 90 degrees.
Capacitive Filter 3
Capacitors can be used as filters in AC
circuits to remove unwanted high-
frequency components, such as in
power supplies and audio circuits.
Capacitor Applications

Decoupling Timing Circuits Energy Storage Bypassing and

Capacitors Capacitors are critical Capacitors can store Filtering
Decoupling capacitors components in timing electrical energy and Capacitors can bypass
stabilize power supply circuits, controlling discharge it quickly, high-frequency
lines and isolate noise the timing of signals making them useful signals to ground,
between circuits, and enabling for backup power, filtering noise and
enabling reliable functions like pulsed power, and stabilizing voltage
operation of oscillators and clock filtering applications. supplies in analog and
electronic devices. generators. digital circuits.
Capacitor Charging and Discharging
Capacitors have the unique ability to store
electrical energy when charged and release
that energy when discharged. This process is
governed by the time constant, which
determines how quickly the capacitor charges
or discharges.

When a capacitor is connected to a voltage

source, it gradually accumulates charge,
storing energy. When the voltage source is
removed, the capacitor discharges, releasing
its stored energy in the form of an electric
current.
Capacitor Safety and Precautions
1 Discharge Before Handling
Always discharge a capacitor before
touching or working on it to avoid
potentially dangerous electric shocks.
3 Heat and Humidity
Considerations
Avoid exposing capacitors to high
temperatures or humid environments,
which can reduce their lifespan and
performance.
2 Proper Voltage Ratings
Use capacitors with voltage ratings that
exceed the maximum voltage they will be
exposed to in the circuit to prevent
explosions or failures.
4 Physical Damage Risks
Handle capacitors carefully to avoid
physical damage like cracks or dents,
which can compromise their integrity and
safety.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Capacitance Versatile Safety Continuous
Mastery Applications Considerations Learning
By understanding Capacitors serve a Proper handling and As technology
the principles of wide range of discharging of evolves, staying up-
capacitance and applications, from capacitors is crucial to-date on the latest
how capacitors power supplies and to prevent capacitor
function in both DC timing circuits to dangerous shocks innovations and
and AC circuits, you filters and energy and explosions. applications will
have gained storage devices. Always follow safety keep your skills
invaluable Leveraging their protocols to protect sharp and enable
knowledge to apply unique properties yourself and your you to tackle future
in your engineering can unlock new equipment. challenges
and electronics design possibilities. effectively.
work.