kapasitoren

A capacitor is a passive electronic component that stores electrical energy in an electric field. It consists of two conductive plates separated by a dielectric material, which is an electrical insulator. When a voltage is applied across the plates, positive charge accumulates on one plate and negative charge on the other, creating an electric field between them. This stored charge represents the capacitor's ability to store energy.

The ability of a capacitor to store charge is quantified by its capacitance, measured in Farads (F). One Farad is a very large unit, so capacitance is often expressed in microfarads (µF), nanofarads (nF), or picofarads (pF). Capacitance depends on the area of the plates, the distance between them, and the dielectric constant of the insulating material. Larger plate area and a smaller distance between plates generally result in higher capacitance.

Capacitors have numerous applications in electronic circuits. They are used for filtering, smoothing out voltage fluctuations in power supplies, coupling and decoupling AC signals in amplifiers, and in timing circuits. In resonant circuits, they work with inductors to store and release energy at specific frequencies. Capacitors are also found in flash units for cameras, where they store a significant amount of charge to be discharged rapidly. The dielectric material can vary widely, including air, ceramic, plastic films, and electrolytic substances, each offering different performance characteristics and applications.