The first, a battery, stores energy in chemicals. Capacitors are a less common (and probably less familiar) alternative. They store energy in an electric field. In either case, the stored energy creates an electric potential. (One common name for that potential is voltage.)
Capacitor: A capacitor stores energy in an electric field. It consists of two conductive plates separated by a dielectric material. Capacitors can rapidly charge and discharge energy. They have a lower energy density compared to batteries, but they can deliver high power bursts.
Today, designers may choose ceramics or plastics as their nonconductors. A battery can store thousands of times more energy than a capacitor having the same volume. Batteries also can supply that energy in a steady, dependable stream. But sometimes they can’t provide energy as quickly as it is needed. Take, for example, the flashbulb in a camera.
When a voltage is applied across the capacitor's terminals, it causes a buildup of positive charges on one plate and negative charges on the other. This charge separation creates an electric field between the plates, which stores energy. To better understand how a capacitor functions, let's consider what happens when it's connected to a battery.
Let's explore some of the key areas where capacitors make a significant impact. One of the fundamental uses of capacitors is to store electrical energy. Unlike batteries that rely on chemical reactions, capacitors store energy in an electric field, allowing for rapid charge and discharge cycles.
A capacitor is that electronic device that stores electrical energy in an electric field. It consists of two conductive plates with a gap filled with an insulating material called a dielectric.