Last month's column explained that AC current flowing through an inductance reaches its peak amplitude after the voltage. Lagging current is characteristic of an inductive circuit. Capacitive circuits ...

The pioneering years in the history of capacitors was a time when capacitors were used primarily for gaining an early understanding of electricity, predating the discovery even of the electron. It was ...

If you build electronic circuits on a regular basis the chances are you will have used capacitors many times. They are a standard component along with the resistor whose values are lifted off the ...

Among the abundance of components making up electronic circuits, very few are as important as capacitors. These components, taking the form of conductive plates separated by an insulating material ...

Note: For a PDF version of this article click here. Power supply ripple and transient specifications establish the requirements for the amount of capacitance you will need. They also set limits on the ...

The four basic capacitor types. The key parameters involved in selecting the right capacitor for automotive designs. Advantages and limitations of electrolytic and electrostatic capacitors. Choosing a ...

Tantalum capacitors are constructed using tantalum for at least the anode material. Capacitors in general consist of two polarized conductors separated by an insulating dielectric material. When the ...

When Ceramic Capacitors Go Bad – Aging. Capacitor Aging applies to all Class 2 ceramic capacitors as they are built of ferroelectric materials. C0G types (Class 1) do not exhibit this aging effect, ...

Film capacitors are passive components that use an extremely thin plastic film as a dielectric insulator. They are constructed of two pieces of plastic film wound into a cylindrical shape. The winding ...