Part of Speech

Noun

Pronunciation

/kəˈpæsɪtəns/

Definitions

• Noun: The ability of a system or component to store an electric charge, typically measured in farads (F).
• Noun: A measure of the electrical energy that can be stored in a capacitor per unit of potential difference across it.
• Noun: The ratio of the charge on one conductor to the potential difference between conductors in an electric circuit.

Usage Examples

• "The capacitance of the capacitor is determined by its size and the material between its plates."
• "The higher the capacitance, the more charge the capacitor can store."
• "This circuit requires a capacitor with high capacitance for efficient power smoothing."

Etymology

The word "capacitance" is derived from the word "capacity," which originates from the Latin word "capacitas," meaning "ability to hold or contain." The term was coined in the late 19th century when scientists began studying the electrical properties of materials and components that could store electric charge, leading to the invention of the capacitor and the formalization of the concept of capacitance.

Synonyms

• Electrical capacity
• Charge storage
• Electric potential

Antonyms

• Resistivity
• Impedance
• Conductance

Translations

Regional Pronunciation Variations

• In American English, the pronunciation tends to emphasize the second syllable: /kəˈpæsɪtəns/.
• In British English, the pronunciation may vary slightly, but it is typically similar to the American pronunciation: /kəˈpæsɪtəns/.

Historical Usage

The concept of capacitance was developed as the understanding of electrical components evolved in the 18th and 19th centuries. Early studies into electricity, including the works of Charles-Augustin de Coulomb and Michael Faraday, paved the way for the formal definition of capacitance, particularly in relation to the invention of the capacitor. The term "capacitance" itself became widely used in electrical engineering by the late 19th century.

Cultural Nuances

In electrical engineering and physics, capacitance is a fundamental concept for understanding how electrical circuits work, particularly in capacitors used for energy storage, smoothing voltage fluctuations, and signal processing. Capacitors and capacitance are important in many everyday technologies, including radios, televisions, and computers. Understanding capacitance has become crucial for the development of more efficient and miniaturized electronic devices in modern technology.

More Information

Capacitance plays a critical role in the functionality of capacitors, which are essential components in a wide variety of electrical and electronic circuits. Capacitors store electrical energy and release it when needed, providing functions such as filtering, energy storage, and voltage regulation. The unit of capacitance, the farad (F), is used to measure the ability of a component to store charge per unit of voltage. A capacitor with a larger capacitance can store more charge at a given voltage, making it suitable for applications requiring greater energy storage.