A fundamental circuit component made of two conductive plates separated by an insulating dielectric material. It blocks direct current while allowing alternating current to pass, making it essential for filtering, smoothing power supplies, and tuning frequencies. Capacitance is measured in farads, though most practical components operate in the microfarad or picofarad range.
Put a 100 nanofarad bypass capacitor right next to the power pin on that IC to kill the high-frequency noise.
Also heard as
- cap
- condenser
Related terms
Electrolytic capacitor
A polarized capacitor that uses a chemical electrolyte to achieve high capacitance.
Inductor
A passive two-terminal electrical component that stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through it.
Resistor
A passive two-terminal component used to limit current flow, divide voltages, or terminate transmission lines.