Capacitor Dictionary, Terms, and Definitions

Capacitor Terms:

Aging: A term used to describe the negative, logarithmic capacitance change that takes place in ceramic capacitors with time. The more stable dielectrics have the lowest aging rates. The change in properties of a material with time. Also see; Re-aging.

Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor: A polarized capacitor that uses Aluminum foil as the capacitor plates. The two conducting aluminum foils, one of which is coated with an insulating oxide layer, and a paper spacer soaked in electrolyte are rolled and placed inside a metal can. Electrolytic capacitors need to be installed in DC circuits such that the voltage applied to the leads always retain the same polarity; i.e. the positive pin always has a more positive potential than the negitive side of the device. Aluminium electrolytic capacitors can also be manufactured for use in intermittent reversed voltage or a.c. applications by using two anode foils in place of one anode and one cathode foil. Refer to Electrolytic Capacitor.

Ambient temperature: Average or mean temperature of the medium (air, gas, liquid, etc.,) surrounding an object.

Anode: Positive electrode of a capacitor. The electrode through which a direct current enters a discrete part of an electrical circuit. The longer lead of a polorized capacitor.

Arcover Voltage: The minimum voltage required to create an arc between electrodes separated by an insulation.

Axial Leaded: Both leads of the component travel along the axis, one lead on either side of the component.

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