Measuring Charge Storage in Capacitors

Capacitors store opposite charges on two conductors, such as two metal plates. This charge separation creates a potential difference, or voltage drop, between the conductors. In this experiment, commercial capacitors and a parallel plate capacitor are used to show how capacitance links charge and voltage.

A capacitor is essential in circuits because it resists changes in voltage by storing equal and opposite charges on its conductive terminals and then supplying energy when the voltage supply drops.

A capacitor is composed of two conductive terminals, such as the two plates in a "parallel plate capacitor", separated by an insulating materia...