Parallel Plate Capacitor

The Concept: Capacitance

A capacitor is a device that stores electrical potential energy in an electric field. The simplest form is two parallel conductive plates separated by a distance. When a voltage is applied, charge builds up on the plates—positive on one, negative on the other. Capacitance ($C$) is the measure of how much charge ($Q$) is stored for a given voltage ($V$).

What to look for

• The simulation shows a side-view of a capacitor connected to a battery.
• Halve the gap d and the capacitance doubles, so twice the charge is stored at the same voltage.
• The analysis panel shows the calculated capacitance, stored charge, and energy.