Understanding Capacitor Energy

Capacitors are essential components in electronic circuits that store and release energy. Their energy storage depends on two primary factors: the capacitance value and the voltage across the capacitor. This calculator lets you easily calculate the charge and energy stored in a capacitor.

• Charge (Q): The amount of electric charge stored in a capacitor is calculated using:
Q = C × V
• Energy (E): The energy stored in a capacitor is given by the formula:
E = ½ × C × V²

Practical Applications

Capacitors are used in various applications like power supply systems, signal processing circuits, and energy storage devices. Calculating charge and energy is vital for optimizing circuit performance and ensuring reliability.

Examples

Example 1:

Given:

• Capacitance = 10 µF (microfarads)
• Voltage = 5 V (volts)

Calculations:

• Charge (Q): Q = C × V = 10 µF × 5 V = 50 µC (microcoulombs)
• Energy (E): E = ½ × C × V² = ½ × 10 µF × (5 V)² = 125 µJ (microjoules)

Example 2:

Given:

• Capacitance = 100 mF (millifarads)
• Voltage = 12 V (volts)

Calculations:

• Charge (Q): Q = C × V = 100 mF × 12 V = 1.2 C (coulombs)
• Energy (E): E = ½ × C × V² = ½ × 100 mF × (12 V)² = 7.2 J (joules)