Popular conversions
1 pairsMicrofarad ↔ Nanofarad
µF ↔ nF
Unit guides
5 unitsDetailed guide to Capacitance
Capacitance describes the ability of a component to store electric charge and energy in an electric field. Capacitors use this property in almost every branch of electronics.
The farad is the SI unit of capacitance, but real circuits often use much smaller prefixed units such as microfarads, nanofarads and picofarads.
- Physical quantity
- Capacitance
- SI unit
- Farad
- SI symbol
- F
- Common practical units
- µF, nF and pF
- Typical use
- Filters, timing circuits, power smoothing and signal coupling
What is capacitance?
Capacitance tells you how much charge is stored per unit of voltage: C = Q / V. A higher capacitance stores more charge at the same voltage.
Capacitors are used to smooth supply rails, block DC, pass AC signals and create timing or resonance behavior in circuits.
Farads and prefixed capacitor values
One farad is a very large unit in most electronic contexts. That is why microfarads, nanofarads and picofarads are much more common in design work.
For example, electrolytic capacitors are often rated in microfarads, while small ceramic capacitors may be specified in nanofarads or picofarads.
Why capacitance conversions matter
Reading component codes, comparing schematics and substituting parts often requires quick movement between capacitor units.
Accurate conversion is especially helpful in filter design, signal conditioning and any circuit where timing or frequency response depends on capacitance.
Capacitance units
| Unit | Symbol | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Farad | F | View unit guide |
| Millifarad | mF | View unit guide |
| Microfarad | µF | View unit guide |
| Nanofarad | nF | View unit guide |
| Picofarad | pF | View unit guide |
Sources
The definitions and conversion relationships on this page are aligned with standard metrology and SI reference material.