Capacitors
Why We Call Them Passives
All components in electronics are grouped into 2 categories (basically): active and passive. Passive components don’t need an external power source to function. These components use some other property to control the electrical signal. As a result, they only require the current traveling through the connected circuit.
Schematic Symbols
Equivalent Circuit
Types
Composition
Voltage (Breakdown) Rating
Polarity
Tantalum device v pcb marking Electrolytic device v pcb marking
Tolerance
| Letter | Tolerance |
|---|---|
| B | ±0.1pF |
| C | ±0.25pF |
| D | ±0.5pF |
| F | ±1% |
| G | ±2% |
| J | ±5% |
| K | ±10% |
| M | ±20% |
| N | +80%, -20% |
Representing Values
Large Devices
SMD
Smaller capacitors, such as ceramic types, often use a shorthand-notation consisting of three digits and an optional letter, where the digits (XYZ) denote the capacitance in picofarad (pF), calculated as XY × 10Z, and the letter indicating the tolerance. Common tolerances are ±5%, ±10%, and ±20%, denotes as J, K, and M, respectively.
Comments or Questions?
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