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Voltage Formula:
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The voltage across a capacitor is directly proportional to the charge stored and inversely proportional to the capacitance. This fundamental relationship is described by the equation V = Q/C, where V is voltage, Q is charge, and C is capacitance.
The calculator uses the basic capacitor equation:
Where:
Explanation: This equation shows that for a given charge, a larger capacitor will have a smaller voltage across it, while a smaller capacitor will have a larger voltage for the same charge.
Details: Understanding the relationship between charge, capacitance, and voltage is crucial for designing and analyzing electronic circuits, especially in timing circuits, power supplies, and signal processing applications.
Tips: Enter charge in Coulombs and capacitance in Farads. Both values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the voltage across the capacitor.
Q1: What is the practical unit for capacitance?
A: While Farad is the SI unit, practical capacitors are often measured in microfarads (μF), nanofarads (nF), or picofarads (pF).
Q2: How does voltage relate to energy in a capacitor?
A: The energy stored in a capacitor is given by E = ½CV² or E = ½QV, showing the quadratic relationship between voltage and energy.
Q3: What happens if the voltage exceeds the capacitor's rating?
A: Exceeding the rated voltage can damage the capacitor, potentially causing it to fail catastrophically (explode or leak).
Q4: Does this equation apply to all types of capacitors?
A: Yes, this fundamental relationship applies to all capacitors, though real-world capacitors may have additional factors like equivalent series resistance (ESR).
Q5: How does this relate to RC circuits?
A: In RC circuits, this relationship governs how quickly a capacitor charges and discharges through a resistor, following exponential curves.