Capacitance Fundamentals

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What is capacitance?

Capacitance is the ability of a system to store an electric charge per unit voltage.

What is the formula for capacitance?

The formula for capacitance is C = Q/V, where C is capacitance, Q is charge, and V is voltage.

What is a capacitor?

A capacitor is an electronic component that stores electric charge and energy in the electric field.

How does plate area affect capacitance?

Capacitance increases as the plate area increases.

How does plate separation affect capacitance?

Capacitance decreases as the plate separation increases.

What is dielectric material in a capacitor?

A dielectric material is an insulating substance placed between the plates of a capacitor to increase its capacitance.

What is dielectric constant?

The dielectric constant is a measure of a material's ability to increase capacitance compared to a vacuum.

What is the unit of capacitance?

The unit of capacitance is the farad (F).

What is the role of a capacitor in an AC circuit?

In an AC circuit, a capacitor allows AC signals to pass while blocking DC signals.

What happens to a capacitor in a DC circuit?

In a DC circuit, a capacitor charges up to the supply voltage and then blocks the flow of DC current.

How is energy stored in a capacitor?

Energy in a capacitor is stored as electric potential energy in the electric field between its plates.

What factors affect a capacitor's internal resistance?

Internal resistance is affected by the capacitor’s construction, materials, and temperature.

What is the function of a supercapacitor?

A supercapacitor stores a large amount of energy quickly and delivers power efficiently compared to regular capacitors.

What is the time constant in a capacitor circuit?

The time constant is the product of a capacitance and resistance in a circuit, and it indicates how quickly the capacitor charges or discharges.

What is the relationship between current and voltage in a charging capacitor?

The current decreases exponentially as the capacitor charges, while the voltage increases towards the supply voltage exponentially.

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