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Quizzes > Computers & Technology > Electronics & Gadgets

Capacitance and Capacitor Quiz: Test Your Knowledge Now

Ready for problems on capacitors? Try our capacitor practice problems and dive in!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of capacitors and circuit symbols on a dark blue background for a capacitance quiz

Use this quiz to identify the correct type of capacitor in each question and refresh key ideas like capacitance, symbols, and uses. It's quick practice to check gaps before an exam or lab. If you liked our quiz on electrostatic potential or the electrostatics quiz , you'll feel at home here.

Easy
Which of the following is a type of capacitor?
Potentiometer
Ceramic capacitor
Resistor
Inductor
Ceramic capacitors are capacitors that use a ceramic dielectric material. They are non-polarized and widely used for their small size and stability. The dielectric material in ceramic capacitors can be varied to achieve different capacitance and temperature characteristics. .
What is the unit of capacitance?
Farad
Tesla
Henry
Ohm
Capacitance is measured in farads (F), named after Michael Faraday. A farad represents a one-coulomb change in charge per volt of potential difference. In practice, capacitors are often rated in microfarads (?F), nanofarads (nF), or picofarads (pF). .
Which capacitor type is typically polarized?
Film
Electrolytic
Mica
Ceramic
Electrolytic capacitors are polarized devices with distinct positive and negative terminals. They use an electrolyte to achieve high capacitance values in a small volume. Reversing the polarity can damage the capacitor or cause it to fail. .
Which capacitor type is known for high stability and precision?
Film
Variable
Electrolytic
Ceramic
Film capacitors use thin plastic films as the dielectric, offering low loss and tight tolerances. They maintain stable capacitance over a broad temperature range. This makes them ideal for precision and timing applications. .
Which type of capacitor is capable of storing very large amounts of energy compared to others?
Electrolytic
Supercapacitor
Ceramic
Mica
Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors, store energy through an electric double layer at the electrode interface. They achieve capacitance values thousands of times higher than conventional capacitors. This allows them to provide rapid charge and discharge cycles in energy storage applications. .
What dielectric material is commonly used in film capacitors?
Glass
Ceramic
Air
Plastic film
Film capacitors use plastic films such as polyester, polypropylene, or polycarbonate as the dielectric. These materials provide low loss and good stability. The film is often metallized or paired with foil to form the capacitor electrodes. .
In a variable capacitor, what physical parameter is varied to change the capacitance?
Voltage applied
Electrode material
Dielectric constant
Plate overlap
Variable capacitors adjust the overlapping area between their movable and stationary plates to change the capacitance. Altering the plate overlap changes the effective plate area (A) in the capacitance equation C = ?A/d. This principle is used in tuning circuits. .
Which type of capacitor is often used in radio tuning circuits?
Electrolytic
Supercapacitor
Tantalum
Variable air capacitor
Variable air capacitors allow manual adjustment of capacitance and are commonly used in radio frequency tuning circuits. Their air dielectric and mechanical construction provide low loss at RF frequencies. They are ideal for applications requiring wide adjustment ranges. .
Medium
Which dielectric material provides the lowest dielectric loss in film capacitors?
Polycarbonate
Paper
Polyester
Polypropylene
Polypropylene film capacitors have very low dielectric loss and excellent electrical stability. They are widely used in precision filter and timing circuits. Their low dielectric absorption also helps maintain waveform fidelity. .
Which capacitor type is most suitable for high-frequency decoupling in surface-mount circuits?
MLCC ceramic
Tantalum
Electrolytic
Film
Multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) have very low equivalent series inductance (ESL) and low ESR, making them ideal for high-frequency decoupling. Their small size and surface-mount packaging suit modern PCB designs. They maintain stable performance across a wide temperature range. .
What does the dielectric code "X7R" indicate for ceramic capacitors?
Temperature coefficient is 0±30 ppm/°C
High-voltage ceramic class
Polarized dielectric type
Capacitance varies ±15% over ?55°C to +125°C
X7R is a Class II ceramic dielectric rating indicating capacitance variation of ±15% from ?55 °C to +125 °C. These capacitors offer higher permittivity but less stability than Class I types. They are used when moderate stability is acceptable in compact form factors. .
In a metallized polypropylene capacitor, what is the primary function of the metallization layer?
Seal the capacitor
Increase dielectric constant
Act as electrode and enable self-healing
Provide structural support
Metallized film capacitors have a very thin metal coating on the dielectric, which serves as the electrode. If a dielectric fault occurs, the metal around the fault evaporates, isolating the defect and restoring operation. This self-healing property enhances reliability. .
Which type of electrolytic capacitor uses a solid conductive polymer as its electrolyte?
Tantalum wet electrolytic
Aluminum polymer
Silver mica
Aluminum wet electrolytic
Polymer electrolytic capacitors use a solid conductive polymer as the electrolyte instead of a liquid. This leads to lower equivalent series resistance (ESR), improved ripple current performance, and greater stability over temperature. They are popular in power supply filtering. .
Which capacitor type is preferred for timing circuits due to its stable capacitance over temperature and voltage?
Electrolytic
X7R ceramic
Tantalum
NP0/C0G ceramic
NP0 (also called C0G) ceramic capacitors are Class I dielectrics with near-zero temperature coefficient and excellent stability over voltage. They are ideal for precision timing and oscillator circuits. Their low dielectric loss also helps maintain signal integrity. .
Which capacitor is constructed using two aluminum foils separated by paper soaked in electrolyte?
Aluminum electrolytic
Silver mica
Tantalum electrolytic
Ceramic
Aluminum electrolytic capacitors use two aluminum foils and a paper separator soaked in electrolyte. The electrolyte forms a thin oxide layer on the anode, serving as the dielectric. Their construction allows high capacitance in small volumes but makes them polarized. .
Which component operates as a voltage-dependent capacitor often used in RF tuning circuits?
Varactor diode
Schottky diode
Zener diode
Transistor
A varactor diode (or varicap) uses the voltage-dependent capacitance of its depletion region under reverse bias. By varying the bias voltage, its junction capacitance changes, making it useful for electronic tuning in RF circuits. .
Hard
What does ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) represent in capacitor performance?
Resistive component of the dielectric
Equivalent resistance in series causing losses
Rate of capacitance change over temperature
Inductive component at high frequencies
ESR is the internal resistance in series with a capacitor that causes power dissipation. It is a key parameter for high-frequency and high-current applications. Low ESR capacitors minimize heat generation under ripple currents. .
What is the self-resonant frequency of a capacitor?
Frequency where capacitive reactance equals inductive reactance
Resonance with an external inductor
Frequency above which the dielectric breaks down
Maximum frequency the capacitor can be used at
A capacitor's self-resonant frequency is the point where its internal inductance and capacitance resonate, making it behave inductively above that frequency. This limits its effectiveness at higher frequencies. Designers use this parameter to select capacitors for RF applications. .
Which capacitor type exhibits significant capacitance drop when subjected to DC bias?
Mica
Electrolytic
Class II ceramic
Film
Class II ceramic capacitors, such as X7R and Y5V, suffer from the DC bias effect where their capacitance decreases under applied voltage. This occurs due to changes in the dielectric polarization. Designers must account for this when selecting capacitors for DC circuits. .
What property of metallized film capacitors allows them to self-heal after dielectric breakdown?
Solid electrolyte layer
Thick metal plates
Vacuum gap isolation
Thin metallization that evaporates around faults
Metallized film capacitors have an extremely thin metal electrode that vaporizes around a fault, isolating the defect and restoring insulation. This self-healing mechanism prevents catastrophic failure. It enhances reliability in power electronics. .
Which capacitor type is best suited for high temperature and high frequency RF applications due to low loss and stability?
Ceramic X7R
Polymer electrolytic
Aluminum electrolytic
Silver mica
Silver mica capacitors use mica dielectric and silver electrodes, offering excellent stability, low dielectric loss, and high Q factor. They perform well in RF tuning and high-temperature environments. Their construction makes them reliable for precision applications. .
Over time, what factor causes leakage current in aluminum electrolytic capacitors to increase?
Drying of the electrolyte reducing its conductivity
Increase in electrode surface area
Change in dielectric permittivity
Aging of the dielectric layer
In aluminum electrolytic capacitors, the liquid electrolyte gradually evaporates or dries out over time. Reduced electrolyte conductivity leads to increased leakage current and degraded performance. Proper derating and thermal management can extend capacitor life. .
Expert
What is the dominant energy storage mechanism in pseudocapacitors?
Faradaic redox pseudocapacitance
Dielectric polarization
Electric double-layer capacitance
Electrostatic induction
Pseudocapacitors store energy via fast, reversible redox reactions at the electrode's surface, known as pseudocapacitance. This mechanism offers higher capacitance than purely electrostatic double-layer storage. They bridge the energy density gap between batteries and conventional capacitors. .
Which film capacitor variant is specifically optimized for high peak current and pulse applications?
Polycarbonate film
Polypropylene pulse
Polyester film
Mica
Pulse polypropylene film capacitors are designed with thicker dielectric layers and low ESR for high peak current and fast discharge applications. They are commonly used in pulse-forming networks and power electronics. Their robust construction handles rapid charge - discharge cycles. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Capacitor Types -

    Recognize and classify various types of capacitors - such as ceramic, electrolytic, and variable - when asked "which of the following is a type of capacitor."

  2. Analyze Capacitance Problems -

    Break down and interpret capacitor practice problems to deepen your understanding of series and parallel capacitance calculations.

  3. Solve Capacitor Equations -

    Apply formulas to solve problems on capacitors, including energy storage and voltage distribution in different circuit configurations.

  4. Evaluate Quiz Answers -

    Review capacitor questions and answers with instant feedback to correct misconceptions and reinforce key concepts.

  5. Apply Capacitor Knowledge -

    Use your understanding of types of capacitors and capacitance principles to troubleshoot real-world circuit scenarios effectively.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Fundamental Principle of Capacitance -

    Understanding capacitance begins with the equation C=εA/d, where ε is the permittivity, A is plate area, and d is separation distance. This relationship, detailed in resources like MIT OpenCourseWare, is the cornerstone for solving problems on capacitors and predicting behavior in circuits.

  2. Common Types of Capacitors -

    Quiz questions like "which of the following is a type of capacitor" often list ceramic, electrolytic, film, and supercapacitors; remember the mnemonic "CEFS" to recall these types of capacitors. Recognizing these categories is crucial for capacitor questions and answers, as each type offers distinct voltage ratings and stability characteristics.

  3. Series and Parallel Combinations -

    In capacitor practice problems, parallel capacitors add directly (C_total=ΣC), while series combinations follow 1/C_total=Σ(1/C_i), a fact emphasized in IEEE tutorials. Mastering these formulas equips you to quickly simplify complex networks in exam-like capacitor practice problems.

  4. Charge and Energy Calculations -

    Use Q=CV to find the charge on a capacitor and E=½CV^2 to calculate stored energy, as outlined in university-level physics labs. These equations are the backbone of most problems on capacitors and ensure accurate results when solving energy storage questions.

  5. Selection Criteria and Specifications -

    When choosing capacitors for real-world applications, consider voltage rating, tolerance, and temperature coefficient - details specified in IEC standards. Familiarity with datasheet parameters turns capacitor questions and answers into practical decision-making skills.

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