What is a capacitor?
Answer
A capacitor is a device made of two conductors separated by an insulator that stores electric charge and energy in the electric field between them.
The working
Structure
A capacitor consists of two conducting plates separated by an insulating medium called a dielectric. The simplest form is the parallel plate capacitor.
Capacitance
Capacitance C = Q/V is the charge stored per unit potential difference, measured in farad (F). For a parallel plate capacitor, C = ε₀A/d.
Energy stored
A charged capacitor stores energy in its electric field given by U = ½CV² = ½QV.
Uses
Capacitors are used to store charge, smooth voltage in power supplies, tune circuits, and provide bursts of energy in devices like camera flashes.
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