Understanding Capacitors in Parallel
When capacitors are connected in parallel, their total capacitance is the sum of the individual capacitances. This configuration increases the effective plate area, allowing the circuit to store more charge.
Formula:
Total Capacitance: Ctotal = C1 + C2 + C3 + ...
Examples with Unit Conversion
Example 1:
Given:
- Capacitor 1: 470 µF
- Capacitor 2: 330 µF
Calculation:
- Ctotal = 470 µF + 330 µF = 800 µF
Example 2 (with unit conversion):
Given:
- Capacitor 1: 0.1 F
- Capacitor 2: 100 mF
Calculation:
- Convert 0.1 F to millifarads: 0.1 F × 1000 = 100 mF
- Ctotal = 100 mF + 100 mF = 200 mF
- Convert back to Farads: 200 mF ÷ 1000 = 0.2 F
