A capacitor is an electrical component that stores energy in the form of an electric field, created by a pair of conductors separated by an insulating material. The ability to store charge is measured in farads (F).
congrats on reading the definition of capacitor. now let's actually learn it.
The capacitance (C) of a capacitor is defined as $C = \frac{Q}{V}$, where Q is the charge stored and V is the voltage across the capacitor.
Capacitors can be connected in series or parallel, with different rules for calculating equivalent capacitance: for series $\frac{1}{C_{eq}} = \frac{1}{C_1} + \frac{1}{C_2} + ...$ and for parallel $C_{eq} = C_1 + C_2 + ...$.
The energy (U) stored in a capacitor is given by $U = \frac{1}{2}CV^2$.
Dielectrics are materials placed between the plates of a capacitor to increase its capacitance by reducing the electric field strength.
In DC circuits, capacitors initially act like short circuits when charging and open circuits once fully charged.
Review Questions
What formula defines capacitance?
How do you calculate the equivalent capacitance for capacitors in series and parallel?
What effect does inserting a dielectric material into a capacitor have on its capacitance?