Capacitor

A capacitor is a device for storing an electrical charge. A capacitor consists of two plates made of an electrically conducting material separated by a nonconducting material or dielectric. If voltage is applied to the capacitor plates, the plates will become charged, one positively and one negatively. If the externally applied voltage is then removed, the capacitor plates remain charged, and the electric charge induces an electric potential between the two plates. The capacitor’s ability to store a charge can be increased by increasing the area of the plates, by decreasing their separation or by varying the substance used as an insulator. When the charged capacitor is shorted, discharge current will flow from the capacitor.