capacitors

A capacitor (originally known as a condenser) is a passive two-terminalelectrical component used to temporarily store electrical energy in an electric field. The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but most contain at least two electrical conductors (plates) separated by a dielectric (i.e. an insulatorthat can store energy by becoming polarized). The conductors can be thin films, foils or sintered beads of metal or conductive electrolyte, etc. The nonconducting dielectric acts to increase the capacitor's charge capacity. Materials commonly used as dielectrics include glass, ceramic, plastic film,paper, mica, and oxide layers. Capacitors are widely used as parts of electrical circuits in many common electrical devices. Unlike a resistor, an ideal capacitor does not dissipate energy. Instead, a capacitor stores energy in the form of anelectrostatic field between its plates.