1. What is Capacitive Impedance?

Capacitive impedance is the opposition that a capacitor offers to alternating current. It depends on the frequency of the AC signal and the capacitance value, decreasing with increasing frequency or capacitance.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the capacitive impedance formula:

Where:

• \( Z \) — Impedance in ohms (Ω)
• \( j \) — Imaginary unit (√-1)
• \( \omega \) — Angular frequency in radians per second (rad/s)
• \( C \) — Capacitance in farads (F)

Explanation: The impedance of a capacitor is purely reactive and inversely proportional to both frequency and capacitance.

3. Importance of Capacitive Impedance

Details: Understanding capacitive impedance is crucial for designing filters, timing circuits, AC coupling networks, and analyzing frequency response in electronic circuits.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter angular frequency in rad/s (ω = 2πf) and capacitance in farads. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why does impedance decrease with frequency?
A: At higher frequencies, the capacitor has less time to charge/discharge, effectively offering less opposition to current flow.

Q2: What's the difference between impedance and reactance?
A: Reactance is the real part of impedance. For pure capacitors, impedance is purely reactive (no real/resistive component).

Q3: How does this relate to RC time constants?
A: The time constant (τ = RC) determines how quickly a capacitor charges/discharges in DC circuits, while impedance describes its AC behavior.

Q4: What about practical (non-ideal) capacitors?
A: Real capacitors have equivalent series resistance (ESR) and inductance that affect their high-frequency behavior.

Q5: Can this be used for DC analysis?
A: No, capacitors have infinite impedance (open circuit) to DC (ω = 0). This formula only applies to AC analysis.