Capacitor Calculator

Free online capacitor calculator for capacitance, charge, voltage, and energy calculations. Calculate any of the four values by providing the other two. Perfect for electronics projects, circuit design, and component analysis.

Capacitance (C)
Charge (Q)
Voltage (V)
Energy (E)

Calculate Capacitance (C)

C = Q / V
V

Calculate Charge (Q)

Q = C * V
V

Calculate Voltage (V)

V = Q / C

Calculate Energy Stored (E)

E = 0.5 * C * V²
V

About Capacitor Calculations

Capacitors are fundamental components in electronic circuits used to store electrical energy in an electric field. The relationship between capacitance, charge, and voltage is key to understanding their behavior.

Key Capacitor Formulas

  • Capacitance (C): C = Q / V (Capacitance in Farads = Charge in Coulombs / Voltage in Volts)
  • Charge (Q): Q = C * V (Charge in Coulombs = Capacitance in Farads * Voltage in Volts)
  • Voltage (V): V = Q / C (Voltage in Volts = Charge in Coulombs / Capacitance in Farads)
  • Energy Stored (E): E = 0.5 * C * V² (Energy in Joules = 0.5 * Capacitance in Farads * Voltage in Volts²)

Common Capacitor Types

  • Ceramic Capacitors: Small, non-polarized, used for high-frequency applications and decoupling.
  • Electrolytic Capacitors: Polarized, high capacitance values, used for filtering in power supplies.
  • Tantalum Capacitors: Polarized, high capacitance density, used in space-constrained applications.
  • Film Capacitors: Non-polarized, good stability, used in audio circuits and power applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is capacitance?

Capacitance is the ability of a component to store an electrical charge. It is measured in Farads (F). A capacitor with a higher capacitance can store more charge at a given voltage.

What is the difference between Farads, microfarads, and picofarads?

These are all units of capacitance. 1 Farad (F) is a very large unit. More common units are:

  • 1 microfarad (µF) = 10⁻⁶ F
  • 1 nanofarad (nF) = 10⁻⁹ F
  • 1 picofarad (pF) = 10⁻¹² F