MPN

Capacitors

Capacitors are passive electrical components found in almost all electronics applications. Our range includes over 60,000 different capacitors including aluminium, tantalum, polymer, polyester film and ceramic capacitors. We source from globally renowned manufacturers AVX, Murata, KEMET, Panasonic, TDK and many more, so that you can rely on performance. Need to switch between capacitance units for your circuit design? Easily and instantly convert capacitance values between farads, microfarads, nanofarads and picofarads with our Capacitance Conversion calculator.

Take a look at our voltage divider calculator to work out the output voltage of a resistor divider circuit for a given set of resistor values and source voltage in seconds.

What is a capacitor and what does it do?

A capacitor is a device used to store energy as an electric charge, similar to a battery but they are able to release the charge much faster. The amount it's able to store is known as capacitance, this is measured in Farads (F). They comprise 2 metal plates (conductors) separated by an electrical insulator (dielectric).

Looking to calculate the cutoff frequency for low-pass and high-pass filters? Our handy calculator will give you the answer you’re looking for in a matter of seconds.

What capacitor types are available?

There are many different types available with detailed specifications for their required function. The main elements are available in varying materials and these determine many properties of the capacitor. Some factors to consider are:

Metal plate material - e.g silver, tantalum, aluminium
Dielectric plate material - paper, film, ceramic, glass
Max voltage - cannot be exceeded or the device will break
Size - capacitance and dimensions
Tolerance - variance on the capacitance value
Mounting type - how it is fixed to the circuit
ESR (Equivalent series resistance) - resistance of the terminals

Applications of capacitors

Capacitors are found all around us, they are used in most electronics from fans to hybrid electric cars - there are over 500 just in a typical smartphone. Here are some of their uses:

Decoupling capacitors - can control high-frequency noise, removing voltage ripples from the power supply.
Energy storage and supply - deliver stored energy bursts quickly, like a camera flash for example.
Signal filtering - they are able to block low-frequency signals and allow higher-frequencies to pass through. Useful in telecommunications.