Kapasitanssilaitteet

Kapasitanssilaitteet, often referred to as capacitors, are passive electronic components that store electrical energy in an electric field. They consist of two conductive plates separated by a dielectric material, which is an electrical insulator. When a voltage is applied across the plates, electric charges of opposite signs accumulate on each plate, creating an electric field within the dielectric. This stored charge is directly proportional to the applied voltage.

The ability of a capacitor to store charge is quantified by its capacitance, measured in farads (F). Capacitance depends on the area of the plates, the distance between them, and the dielectric constant of the insulating material. Larger plate areas and thinner dielectrics generally lead to higher capacitance. Dielectric materials can include air, ceramics, plastics, or electrolytic substances, each offering different properties and performance characteristics.

Capacitors have a wide range of applications in electronic circuits. They are commonly used for filtering out unwanted frequencies, smoothing out voltage fluctuations in power supplies, coupling or decoupling AC signals between circuit stages, and storing energy for quick discharge in applications like camera flashes or defibrillators. Their behavior in AC circuits is characterized by capacitive reactance, which is inversely proportional to both frequency and capacitance. This frequency-dependent behavior makes them essential for tuning circuits and signal processing.