Grade 9 Electronics

Mr. Brown

What is a Capacitor?
! A capacitor takes two electrical conductors and

separate them though an insulator.

! There are two (2) main types of capacitors
! Polarized/ Electrolytic
! Non Ceramic

Polarized/ Electrolytic
A non-polarized electrolytic capacitor
has both plates anodized so that it can
withstand rated voltage in both
directions. Means it can be put in either
direction.

Non Ceramic
Non Ceramic capacitors have a fixed
position in which they allow electrons to
flow. They have a positive and a
negative side.

Unit of Measure
! Capacitors are measured in the unit of microfarads

(F)

What Do Capacitors do?

! A capacitor may be used with a resistor to produce a

timer. Capacitors store electrons and allow to flow at

a certain rate and they regulate this flow.

How Do They Work?

! Works is by having two metallic plates separated by

a material called the dielectric. The dielectric must be

a nonconductive (insulating, opposes flow of
electricity) material. When the capacitor is place in a
circuit with an active current, the electrons from the
negative side build up on the closest plate(the
negative flows to the positive, that is why the
negative is the active lead, although many capacitors
are not polarized). Once the plate can no longer hold
them, they are forced past the dielectric and onto the
other plate, thus displacing the electrons back into
the circuit. This is called the discharge.