Capacitor Voltage Divider Calculator 2 Resistors

Capacitor Voltage Divider Formula:

\[ V_{out} = V_{in} \times \left( \frac{X_{C2}}{X_{C1} + X_{C2}} \right) \] \[ \text{where } X_C = \frac{1}{2\pi fC} \]

Input Voltage (V_in):

volts

Frequency:

Capacitor C1:

μF

Capacitor C2:

μF

Output Voltage (V_out):

Reactance X_C1:

Reactance X_C2:

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1. What is a Capacitor Voltage Divider?

A capacitor voltage divider is an AC circuit that divides the input voltage based on the capacitive reactance of the capacitors in the circuit. Unlike resistive dividers, the division ratio depends on frequency.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the capacitor voltage divider formula:

\[ V_{out} = V_{in} \times \left( \frac{X_{C2}}{X_{C1} + X_{C2}} \right) \] \[ \text{where } X_C = \frac{1}{2\pi fC} \]

Where:

\( V_{in} \) — Input voltage (volts)
\( V_{out} \) — Output voltage (volts)
\( X_{C1}, X_{C2} \) — Capacitive reactances (ohms)
\( f \) — Frequency (Hz)
\( C1, C2 \) — Capacitance values (farads)

Explanation: The voltage division occurs based on the ratio of reactances, which are frequency-dependent.

3. Importance of Capacitive Reactance

Details: Capacitive reactance decreases with increasing frequency and capacitance. This makes capacitor dividers useful in AC circuits and frequency-dependent applications.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter input voltage in volts, frequency in Hz, and capacitance values in μF. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use capacitor dividers instead of resistors?
A: Capacitor dividers don't dissipate power as heat and are frequency-dependent, making them useful for AC signals and filtering applications.

Q2: What happens at DC (0 Hz)?
A: At DC, capacitors act as open circuits (infinite reactance), so no current flows and the divider doesn't work.

Q3: Can I use this for power supply voltage division?
A: No, capacitor dividers are only suitable for AC signals, not for DC power supplies.

Q4: What about phase shift?
A: This calculator gives the magnitude only. In reality, capacitor dividers introduce a 90° phase shift between voltage and current.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: It assumes ideal capacitors. Real capacitors have equivalent series resistance (ESR) that may affect results at high frequencies.