1. What is a Capacitor Charge Calculator?

Definition: This calculator determines the electric charge stored in a capacitor based on its capacitance and the applied voltage.

Purpose: It helps electronics engineers, students, and hobbyists calculate charge storage in capacitors for circuit design and analysis.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the fundamental capacitor charge formula:

Where:

• \( Q \) — Charge stored (coulombs)
• \( C \) — Capacitance (farads)
• \( V \) — Voltage across capacitor (volts)

Explanation: The charge stored in a capacitor is directly proportional to both its capacitance and the applied voltage.

3. Importance of Capacitor Charge Calculation

Details: Proper charge calculation is essential for designing timing circuits, power supplies, filters, and energy storage systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the capacitance in farads and the voltage in volts. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What units should I use for capacitance?
A: The calculator uses farads (F), but you can enter values in microfarads (μF) by converting (1μF = 0.000001F).

Q2: Does this work for AC voltage?
A: This calculates instantaneous charge. For AC circuits, use peak voltage for maximum charge.

Q3: What's a typical capacitor value?
A: Common values range from picofarads (pF) to thousands of microfarads (μF), depending on application.

Q4: How does charge relate to energy storage?
A: Energy stored is \( \frac{1}{2}CV^2 \), different from charge which is \( CV \).

Q5: Why is my calculated charge so small?
A: One coulomb is a large charge. Small capacitors (nF, pF range) store tiny fractions of a coulomb.