Capacitance!!

After learning about electric potential, we are starting to concentrate on something called "capacitance". So what exactly is capacitance?

Well, a capacitor is an electronic component that can be charged and can store charge. It has the ability to reach across an insulator and is made of two flat plates made of conducting metal. The two plates are connected to a terminal so that a voltage can be applied.

When a capacitor is being charged, the negative charge is taken out of one area and put into another, leaving one side with a negative charge and the other with a positive charge. Although charges are being rearranged, the net charge of the whole remains at zero.

From the website, Physics.sjsu.edu, I learned that "The amount of charge that can be placed on a capacitor is proportional to the voltage pushing the charge onto the positive plate. The larger the potential difference (voltage) between the plates, the larger the charge on the plates."

Q = C V

I also learned that, "The constant of proportionality is called the "capacitance" and is proportional to the area (A) of one of the plates and inversely proportional to the separation between the plates (d): 

C = e A / d

for a parallel plate capacitor.

We encounter capacitors in everyday life almost every day! This is because every electronic and most electric appliances have capacitors. They are used for energy storage filtering, and many more uses! If you look around you, I'm sure you can find at least three: your TV, cellphone, radio, and the laptop you are viewing this on!

During this week, we will be able to broaden our knowledge on capacitors!