What property determines how much charge a capacitor can store?

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Multiple Choice

What property determines how much charge a capacitor can store?

Charge storage on a capacitor is determined by capacitance. Capacitance is the property that tells you how much charge the plates can hold for each volt of voltage across them. The fundamental relation is Q = C × V, so at a given voltage, a higher capacitance means more charge stored. Capacitance increases with larger plate area, smaller separation between plates, and a dielectric with a higher constant between the plates. The energy stored is (1/2) × C × V^2, which also grows with capacitance. Inductance, on the other hand, involves storing energy in a magnetic field due to current changes, not the amount of charge on a capacitor. Resistance or conductance describe how easily current flows, not how much charge a capacitor can hold.

Charge storage on a capacitor is determined by capacitance. Capacitance is the property that tells you how much charge the plates can hold for each volt of voltage across them. The fundamental relation is Q = C × V, so at a given voltage, a higher capacitance means more charge stored. Capacitance increases with larger plate area, smaller separation between plates, and a dielectric with a higher constant between the plates. The energy stored is (1/2) × C × V^2, which also grows with capacitance.

Inductance, on the other hand, involves storing energy in a magnetic field due to current changes, not the amount of charge on a capacitor. Resistance or conductance describe how easily current flows, not how much charge a capacitor can hold.

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