Capacitors Parallel Series

Overview

Capacitor combinations for series and parallel configurations. Note: the rules are opposite to resistors.

Formula

$C_{total} = C_1 + C_2$

Calculator

Notes

• Results are approximate and should be verified for critical applications
• Input values should be within reasonable engineering ranges

Data: Capacitor Configuration Examples

Additional Formulas

Series (Two Capacitors Simplified):

$$C = \frac{C_1 C_2}{C_1 + C_2}$$

Charge on a Capacitor:

$$Q = C \cdot U$$

Voltage Across a Capacitor:

$$U = \frac{Q}{C}$$

Capacitance of Coaxial Cylinders:

$$C = \frac{2 \pi \varepsilon_0 \varepsilon_r l}{\ln(r_2 / r_1)}$$

Key Properties

• In a series circuit, the charge ($Q$) is identical on all capacitors.
• In a parallel circuit, the voltage ($U$) is identical across all capacitors.
• The vacuum permittivity constant is $\varepsilon_0 = 8.85 \times 10^{-12} \text{ F/m}$.

References

• Original Source