capacitor

capacitor
/keuh pas"i teuhr/, n. Elect.
a device for accumulating and holding a charge of electricity, consisting of two equally charged conducting surfaces having opposite signs and separated by a dielectric. Also called condenser.
[1925-30; CAPACIT(Y) + -OR2]

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 device for storing electrical energy, consisting of two conductors (conductor) in close proximity and insulated from each other. A simple example of such a storage device is the parallel-plate capacitor. If positive charges with total charge +Q are deposited on one of the conductors and an equal amount of negative charge −Q is deposited on the second conductor, the capacitor is said to have a charge Q. See also electricity: Principle of the capacitor (electricity).

      Capacitors have many important applications. They are used, for example, in digital circuits so that information stored in large computer memories (computer memory) is not lost during a momentary electric power failure; the electric energy stored in such capacitors maintains the information during the temporary loss of power. Capacitors play an even more important role as filters to divert spurious electric signals and thereby prevent damage to sensitive components and circuits caused by electric surges.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • capacitor — CAPACITÓR, capacitoáre, s.n. (fiz.) Condensator (2). (cf. engl. capacitor) [et. MW – folosit în corpul DEX] Trimis de tavi, 26.03.2008. Sursa: Neoficial  CAPACITÓR s.n. v. COMPONENT (4). (electron.; în sintagmele) Componente active = denumire… …   Dicționar Român

  • capacitor — |ô| s. m. [Brasil] [Eletricidade] Conjunto de condutores elétricos isolados que armazenam carga elétrica no campo que se forma entre eles. = CONDENSADOR   ‣ Etimologia: inglês capacitor …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • capacitor — ca*pac i*tor (k[.a]*p[a^]s [i^]*t[ e]r), n. a device used in electronic circuits to hold electrical charge, consisting of two conducting plates separated by a nonconducting (dielectric) medium; it is characterized by its capacitance. Syn:… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Capacitor —   [engl.], Kondensator …   Universal-Lexikon

  • capacitor — device which stores electricity, 1926, from CAPACITY (Cf. capacity) (q.v.) with Latinate agent noun ending …   Etymology dictionary

  • capacitor — ► NOUN ▪ a device used to store electric charge, consisting of one or more pairs of conductors separated by an insulator …   English terms dictionary

  • capacitor — [kə pas′ətər] n. Elec. a device consisting of two or more conducting plates separated from one another by a dielectric nonconductor, as glass, mica, plastic, or dry air, used for storing an electric charge; condenser …   English World dictionary

  • Capacitor — This article is about the electronic component. For the physical phenomenon, see capacitance. For an overview of various kinds of capacitors, see types of capacitor. Capacitor Modern capacitors, by a cm ruler Type Passive …   Wikipedia

  • capacitor — UK [kəˈpæsɪtə(r)] / US [kəˈpæsɪtər] noun [countable] Word forms capacitor : singular capacitor plural capacitors science a piece of equipment in which electricity is stored …   English dictionary

  • capacitor — noun An electronic component capable of storing an electric charge; especially one consisting of two conductors separated by a dielectric. See Also: capacitance, capacity, variable capacitor, condenser …   Wiktionary

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