Energy Stored in a Capacitor A capacitor is a device that stores electric energy by accumulating or distributing electric charge on its conductors. It be...
A capacitor is a device that stores electric energy by accumulating or distributing electric charge on its conductors. It behaves like a portable charge container.
The energy stored in a capacitor is directly proportional to the amount of charge stored on its plates and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the plates. This means that the higher the charge stored, the higher the energy stored, and the further apart the plates are, the lower the energy stored.
where:
E is the energy stored in joules (J)
C is the capacitance in farads (F)
V is the voltage in volts (V)
In this equation, we can see that:
If the voltage is kept constant, increasing the capacitance will increase the energy stored.
If the voltage is kept constant, increasing the distance between the plates will decrease the energy stored.
Examples:
A parallel-plate capacitor with equal charges on each plate has more energy stored than a series-connected capacitor with the same charges.
The energy stored in a parallel-plate capacitor is independent of the charge on the plates, but it depends on the voltage and the distance between the plates.
A larger capacitor with a higher voltage will store more energy than a smaller capacitor with a lower voltage.
Further points:
A capacitor can be charged by connecting a battery or by inducing a charge with a different voltage.
When a capacitor is discharged, the energy is released through the conductors.
Capacitors are used in various electronic devices, such as radios, televisions, and computers