1. What is an Energy Stored in Capacitor Calculator?

Definition: This calculator computes the energy stored in a capacitor based on its capacitance and the applied voltage.

Purpose: It helps electronics engineers, students, and hobbyists determine how much energy a capacitor can store for circuit design and analysis.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( E \) — Energy stored (joules)
• \( C \) — Capacitance (farads)
• \( V \) — Voltage across capacitor (volts)

Explanation: The energy stored is proportional to the capacitance and the square of the voltage applied.

3. Importance of Energy Calculation

Details: Knowing stored energy is crucial for power supply design, energy storage systems, and safety considerations (especially for large capacitors).

4. Using the Calculator

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

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is there a 1/2 in the formula?
A: The factor of 1/2 comes from the integration of voltage over charge during the charging process.

Q2: What's a typical capacitance value?
A: Common capacitors range from picofarads (pF) to farads (F) for supercapacitors.

Q3: Does this work for AC voltage?
A: For AC circuits, use the peak voltage in the formula for maximum stored energy.

Q4: How do I convert between units?
A: 1 farad = 1,000,000 microfarads (μF) = 1,000,000,000 nanofarads (nF) = 1,000,000,000,000 picofarads (pF)

Q5: Is all this energy usable?
A: Practical circuits can't extract all stored energy due to internal resistance and other losses.