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Capacitors

 
 
 

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14 Fast Facts On Capacitors

A capacitor is a circuit component made of two conducting surfaces (plates) separated by a dielectric (non-conducting insulator) material.

Capacitor shapes are either flat or rolled (cylinder).

The Leyden jar was the first capacitor created, invented in 1745 by Pieter van Musschenbroek.

A capacitor’s conducting surfaces are made of different materials, including a thin film of conductive metal or aluminum.

The negatively charged plate is known as the cathode and the positively charged plate is known as the anode.

Capacitors with higher capacitance values are made from materials with a higher dielectric constant.

Dielectric materials used in capacitors include ceramic, air, vacuum, paper impregnated with oil or wax, mylar, polystyrene, mica, and glass.

When a capacitor is connected to a power source, positive charges transfer to one of the conducting surfaces, and negative charges are transferred to the other conducting surface.

A capacitor can absorb energy from a circuit and store it temporarily. The capacitor can then later return the energy to the circuit.

Capacitors discharge very slowly, but many can store a charge for years.

Handling a charged capacitor in the wrong way can result in burns or even death, especially if the capacitor is large.

A capacitor is discharged slowly when a resistor is connected to each leg. The resistor must be rated for the same or higher voltage than the capacitor can store for this method of discharge in order to work safely.

Capacitors are measured in a unit called farads, named after the scientist Michael Faraday. This measure is also known as capacitance.

Supercapacitors made with graphene as the conducting plate are capable of storing a charge similar to lithium-ion batteries.

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Capacitor Value
Conversion Table

This is a handy table that makes it easier to convert capacitance values between picofarads, nanofarads, and microfarads.  It also explains Vishay's three digit encoding system for MLCC capacitor part numbers. 

Notes:
1. Example from top row of table:  1.0pF (pico Farad)  =  0.0010nF (nano Farad)  =  0.0000010uF micro Farad
2. Vishay expresses the value of their MLCC capacitors using a three digit encoding system in picofarad (pF). The first two digits are significant, the third is a multiplier (number of zeros after the first two digits). Also, an “R” indicates a decimal point.

Examples:
1R0 = 1.0pF
4R7 = 4.7 pF
102 = 1000 pF
220 = 22pF
221 = 220pF
104 = 100000pF

picofarads nanofarads microfarads Vishay's 3 digit coding system for capacitance value
1.0 pF 0.0010 nF 0.0000010 uF 1R0
1.1 pF 0.0011 nF 0.0000011 uF 1R1
1.2 pF 0.0012 nF 0.0000012 uF 1R2
1.3 pF 0.0013 nF 0.0000013 uF 1R3
1.5 pF 0.0015 nF 0.0000015 uF 1R5
1.6 pF 0.0016 nF 0.0000016 uF 1R6
1.8 pF 0.0018 nF 0.0000018 uF 1R8
2.0 pF 0.0020 nF 0.0000020 uF 2R0
2.2 pF 0.0022 nF 0.0000022 uF 2R2
2.4 pF 0.0024 nF 0.0000024 uF 2R4
2.7 pF 0.0027 nF 0.0000027 uF 2R7
3.0 pF 0.0030 nF 0.0000030 uF 3R0
3.3 pF 0.0033 nF 0.0000033 uF 3R3
3.6 pF 0.0036 nF 0.0000036 uF 3R6
3.9 pF 0.0039 nF 0.0000039 uF 3R9
4.3 pF 0.0043 nF 0.0000043 uF 4R3
4.7 pF 0.0047 nF 0.0000047 uF 4R7
5.1 pF 0.0051 nF 0.0000051 uF 5R1
5.6 pF 0.0056 nF 0.0000056 uF 5R6
6.2 pF 0.0062 nF 0.0000062 uF 6R2
6.8 pF 0.0068 nF 0.0000068 uF 6R8
7.5 pF 0.0075 nF 0.0000075 uF 7R5
8.2 pF 0.0082 nF 0.0000082 uF 8R2
9.1 pF 0.0091 nF 0.0000091 uF 9R1
10 pF 0.010 nF 0.000010 uF 100
11 pF 0.011 nF 0.000011 uF 110
12 pF 0.012 nF 0.000012 uF 120
13 pF 0.013 nF 0.000013 uF 130
15 pF 0.015 nF 0.000015 uF 150
16 pF 0.016 nF 0.000016 uF 160
18 pF 0.018 nF 0.000018 uF 180
20 pF 0.020 nF 0.000020 uF 200
22 pF 0.022 nF 0.000022 uF 220
24 pF 0.024 nF 0.000024 uF 240
27 pF 0.027 nF 0.000027 uF 270
30 pF 0.030 nF 0.000030 uF 300
33 pF 0.033 nF 0.000033 uF 330
36 pF 0.036 nF 0.000036 uF 360
39 pF 0.039 nF 0.000039 uF 390
43 pF 0.043 nF 0.000043 uF 430
47 pF 0.047 nF 0.000047 uF 470
51 pF 0.051 nF 0.000051 uF 510
56 pF 0.056 nF 0.000056 uF 560
62 pF 0.062 nF 0.000062 uF 620
68 pF 0.068 nF 0.000068 uF 680
75 pF 0.075 nF 0.000075 uF 750
82 pF 0.082 nF 0.000082 uF 820
91 pF 0.091 nF 0.000091 uF 910
100 pF 0.10 nF 0.00010 uF 101
110 pF 0.11 nF 0.00011 uF 111
120 pF 0.12 nF 0.00012 uF 121
130 pF 0.13 nF 0.00013 uF 131
150 pF 0.15 nF 0.00015 uF 151
160 pF 0.16 nF 0.00016 uF 161
180 pF 0.18 nF 0.00018 uF 181
200 pF 0.20 nF 0.00020 uF 201
220 pF 0.22 nF 0.00022 uF 221
240 pF 0.24 nF 0.00024 uF 241
270 pF 0.27 nF 0.00027 uF 271
300 pF 0.30 nF 0.00030 uF 301
330 pF 0.33 nF 0.00033 uF 331
360 pF 0.36 nF 0.00036 uF 361
390 pF 0.39 nF 0.00039 uF 391
430 pF 0.43 nF 0.00043 uF 431
470 pF 0.47 nF 0.00047 uF 471
510 pF 0.51 nF 0.00051 uF 511
560 pF 0.56 nF 0.00056 uF 561
620 pF 0.62 nF 0.00062 uF 621
680 pF 0.68 nF 0.00068 uF 681
750 pF 0.75 nF 0.00075 uF 751
820 pF 0.82 nF 0.00082 uF 821
910 pF 0.91 nF 0.00091 uF 911
1000 pF 1.0 nF 0.0010 uF 102
1100 pF 1.1 nF 0.0011 uF 112
1200 pF 1.2 nF 0.0012 uF 122
1300 pF 1.3 nF 0.0013 uF 132
1500 pF 1.5 nF 0.0015 uF 152
1600 pF 1.6 nF 0.0016 uF 162
1800 pF 1.8 nF 0.0018 uF 182
2000 pF 2.0 nF 0.0020 uF 202
2200 pF 2.2 nF 0.0022 uF 222
2400 pF 2.4 nF 0.0024 uF 242
2700 pF 2.7 nF 0.0027 uF 272
3000 pF 3.0 nF 0.0030 uF 302
3300 pF 3.3 nF 0.0033 uF 332
3600 pF 3.6 nF 0.0036 uF 362
3900 pF 3.9 nF 0.0039 uF 392
4300 pF 4.3 nF 0.0043 uF 432
4700 pF 4.7 nF 0.0047 uF 472
5100 pF 5.1 nF 0.0051 uF 512
5600 pF 5.6 nF 0.0056 uF 562
6200 pF 6.2 nF 0.0062 uF 622
6800 pF 6.8 nF 0.0068 uF 682
7500 pF 7.5 nF 0.0075 uF 752
8200 pF 8.2 nF 0.0082 uF 822
9100 pF 9.1 nF 0.0091 uF 912
10000 pF 10 nF 0.010 uF 103
11000 pF 11 nF 0.011 uF 113
12000 pF 12 nF 0.012 uF 123
13000 pF 13 nF 0.013 uF 133
15000 pF 15 nF 0.015 uF 153
16000 pF 16 nF 0.016 uF 163
18000 pF 18 nF 0.018 uF 183
20000 pF 20 nF 0.020 uF 203
22000 pF 22 nF 0.022 uF 223
24000 pF 24 nF 0.024 uF 243
27000 pF 27 nF 0.027 uF 273
30000 pF 30 nF 0.030 uF 303
33000 pF 33 nF 0.033 uF 333
36000 pF 36 nF 0.036 uF 363
39000 pF 39 nF 0.039 uF 393
43000 pF 43 nF 0.043 uF 433
47000 pF 47 nF 0.047 uF 473
51000 pF 51 nF 0.051 uF 513
56000 pF 56 nF 0.056 uF 563
62000 pF 62 nF 0.062 uF 623
68000 pF 68 nF 0.068 uF 683
75000 pF 75 nF 0.075 uF 753
82000 pF 82 nF 0.082 uF 823
91000 pF 91 nF 0.091 uF 913
100000 pF 100 nF 0.10 uF 104
110000 pF 110 nF 0.11 uF 114
120000 pF 120 nF 0.12 uF 124
130000 pF 130 nF 0.13 uF 134
150000 pF 150 nF 0.15 uF 154
160000 pF 160 nF 0.16 uF 164
180000 pF 180 nF 0.18 uF 184
200000 pF 200 nF 0.20 uF 204
220000 pF 220 nF 0.22 uF 224
240000 pF 240 nF 0.24 uF 244
270000 pF 270 nF 0.27 uF 274
300000 pF 300 nF 0.30 uF 304
330000 pF 330 nF 0.33 uF 334
360000 pF 360 nF 0.36 uF 364
390000 pF 390 nF 0.39 uF 394
430000 pF 430 nF 0.43 uF 434
470000 pF 470 nF 0.47 uF 474
510000 pF 510 nF 0.51 uF 514
560000 pF 560 nF 0.56 uF 564
620000 pF 620 nF 0.62 uF 624
680000 pF 680 nF 0.68 uF 684
750000 pF 750 nF 0.75 uF 754
820000 pF 820 nF 0.82 uF 824
910000 pF 910 nF 0.91 uF 914
1000000 pF 1000 nF 1.0 uF 105
1100000 pF 1100 nF 1.1 uF 115
1200000 pF 1200 nF 1.2 uF 125
1300000 pF 1300 nF 1.3 uF 135
1500000 pF 1500 nF 1.5 uF 155
1600000 pF 1600 nF 1.6 uF 165
1800000 pF 1800 nF 1.8 uF 185
2000000 pF 2000 nF 2.0 uF 205
2200000 pF 2200 nF 2.2 uF 225
2400000 pF 2400 nF 2.4 uF 245
2700000 pF 2700 nF 2.7 uF 275
3000000 pF 3000 nF 3.0 uF 305
3300000 pF 3300 nF 3.3 uF 335
3600000 pF 3600 nF 3.6 uF 365
3900000 pF 3900 nF 3.9 uF 395
4300000 pF 4300 nF 4.3 uF 435
4700000 pF 4700 nF 4.7 uF 475
5100000 pF 5100 nF 5.1 uF 515
5600000 pF 5600 nF 5.6 uF 565
6200000 pF 6200 nF 6.2 uF 625
6800000 pF 6800 nF 6.8 uF 685
7500000 pF 7500 nF 7.5 uF 755
8200000 pF 8200 nF 8.2 uF 825
9100000 pF 9100 nF 9.1 uF 915