Capacitor Capacitance Calculator
Calculate capacitance values for electrical circuits and power factor correction
Capacitance Calculator
IEEE Standard Compliant Calculations
Results:
Capacitance (F): 0.00
Capacitance (µF): 0.00
Capacitance (nF): 0.00
Capacitance (pF): 0.00
How to Use the Capacitor Capacitance Calculator
Basic Capacitance
- Select "Basic Capacitance" calculation type
- Enter the charge (Q) in Coulombs
- Enter the voltage (V) in Volts
- Click "Calculate" to get capacitance value
- Results shown in F, µF, nF, and pF
Parallel Plate Capacitor
- Select "Parallel Plate Capacitor" type
- Enter relative permittivity of dielectric material
- Input plate area in square meters
- Enter distance between plates in meters
- Calculator uses ε₀ = 8.854 × 10⁻¹² F/m
Series/Parallel Combinations
- Select "Series" or "Parallel Capacitors"
- Enter capacitor values separated by commas
- Values should be in microfarads (µF)
- Calculator computes equivalent capacitance
- Shows detailed step-by-step calculation
Capacitor Fundamentals
What is Capacitance?
Capacitance is the ability of a capacitor to store electrical charge. It's measured in Farads (F) and represents the ratio of charge stored to the voltage applied.
- 1 Farad = 1 Coulomb per Volt
- Common units: µF, nF, pF
- Depends on geometry and dielectric material
Dielectric Materials
The material between capacitor plates affects capacitance:
- Air: εᵣ = 1.0
- Paper: εᵣ = 3.7
- Mica: εᵣ = 5.4
- Ceramic: εᵣ = 6-1200
- Tantalum: εᵣ = 11
Key Formulas:
Basic: C = Q/V
Parallel Plate: C = ε₀εᵣA/d
Series: 1/Cₜ = 1/C₁ + 1/C₂ + ...
Parallel: Cₜ = C₁ + C₂ + ...
Calculation Formulas
Basic Capacitance:
C = Q/V
Parallel Plate Capacitor:
C = ε₀εᵣA/d
Series Capacitors:
1/Cₜ = 1/C₁ + 1/C₂ + 1/C₃...
Parallel Capacitors:
Cₜ = C₁ + C₂ + C₃...
Real-Life Calculation Example
Problem: Calculate capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor
Given:
• Plate Area (A) = 0.01 m²
• Distance (d) = 0.001 m (1 mm)
• Dielectric: Paper (εᵣ = 3.7)
• ε₀ = 8.854 × 10⁻¹² F/m
Solution:
C = ε₀εᵣA/d
C = (8.854 × 10⁻¹²) × 3.7 × 0.01 / 0.001
C = 3.276 × 10⁻¹⁰ F
C = 327.6 pF
Result: 327.6 pF or 0.3276 nF
How to Calculate Capacitor Capacitance
Step 1: Identify Capacitor Type
- Single capacitor with known charge and voltage
- Parallel plate capacitor with physical dimensions
- Multiple capacitors in series or parallel
- Choose appropriate calculation method
Step 2: Gather Required Data
- For basic: Charge (Q) and Voltage (V)
- For parallel plate: Area, distance, dielectric
- For combinations: Individual capacitor values
- Ensure consistent units throughout
Step 3: Apply Formula
- Use C = Q/V for basic capacitance
- Use C = ε₀εᵣA/d for parallel plate
- Use reciprocal sum for series
- Use direct sum for parallel
Step 4: Convert Units
- 1 F = 10⁶ µF = 10⁹ nF = 10¹² pF
- Most practical capacitors are in µF, nF, or pF
- Check result magnitude for reasonableness
- Verify calculations with known values
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