1. What is Capacitance?

Definition: Capacitance is the ability of a capacitor to store electric charge per unit voltage.

Purpose: This calculator helps determine the required capacitor size based on the charge it needs to store and the operating voltage.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( C \) — Capacitance (farads)
• \( Q \) — Electric charge (coulombs)
• \( V \) — Voltage (volts)

Explanation: The capacitance is calculated by dividing the charge by the voltage. This gives the capacitor size needed to store the specified charge at the given voltage.

3. Importance of Capacitance Calculation

Details: Proper capacitor sizing is crucial for circuit design, energy storage, filtering, timing circuits, and power factor correction.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the charge in coulombs and voltage in volts. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a typical capacitor size?
A: Most capacitors range from picofarads (pF) to farads (F), with supercapacitors reaching thousands of farads.

Q2: How do I find the charge (Q)?
A: Charge can be calculated as Q = I × t (current × time) or from the energy requirements of your circuit.

Q3: What happens if voltage exceeds capacitor rating?
A: The capacitor may fail catastrophically. Always use capacitors rated for higher than your maximum circuit voltage.

Q4: How does dielectric material affect capacitance?
A: Different materials have different permittivity which affects capacitance, but this calculator gives the fundamental requirement.

Q5: Can I use this for AC circuits?
A: Yes, but use peak voltage for the calculation and consider the capacitor's AC rating.