1. What is a Capacitor Voltage Divider?

A capacitor voltage divider is a circuit that uses capacitors to divide an input voltage into a smaller output voltage. Unlike resistive dividers, capacitor dividers work with AC signals and their division ratio depends on the capacitive reactance.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the capacitor voltage divider equation:

Where:

• \( V_{in} \) — Input voltage (volts)
• \( C_{parallel} \) — Parallel capacitance (farads)
• \( C_{total} \) — Total capacitance in the circuit (farads)

Explanation: The output voltage is proportional to the ratio of the parallel capacitance to the total capacitance in the circuit.

3. Importance of Voltage Division

Details: Capacitor voltage dividers are essential in AC circuits, signal processing, and power supply designs where resistive dividers would cause excessive power loss.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter input voltage in volts, capacitances in farads. All values must be positive and parallel capacitance cannot exceed total capacitance.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How does this differ from a resistive divider?
A: Capacitive dividers work with AC signals and don't dissipate power as heat like resistive dividers.

Q2: What happens at different frequencies?
A: The division ratio remains constant with frequency for ideal capacitors, but real capacitors may show frequency-dependent behavior.

Q3: Can I use this for DC voltage division?
A: No, capacitors block DC current. This divider only works for AC signals.

Q4: What about phase shift in the output?
A: The calculator assumes ideal capacitors. Real capacitors may introduce phase shifts between input and output.

Q5: How do I calculate for more complex networks?
A: For complex networks, you need to calculate equivalent capacitance for each branch first.