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Enter the capacitance of each capacitor in parallel. Add more capacitors with the button below. The total capacitance is calculated from all filled fields.
When capacitors are connected in parallel, the total capacitance is simply the sum of all individual capacitances: \[ C_{\text{total}} = C_1 + C_2 + \cdots + C_n \] This is the opposite of the series case — parallel connection always yields a total capacitance greater than any individual capacitor.
The reason is straightforward: all capacitors in parallel share the same voltage \( V \) across their plates. The total charge stored is therefore the sum of the charges on each capacitor: $$ \begin{align} Q_{\text{total}} &= Q_1 + Q_2 + \cdots + Q_n \\ &= C_1 V + C_2 V + \cdots + C_n V \\ &= (C_1 + C_2 + \cdots + C_n) \cdot V \end{align} $$ Dividing both sides by \( V \) gives \( C_{\text{total}} = C_1 + C_2 + \cdots + C_n \) directly. This mirrors the formula for resistors in series — again, a useful analogy.
Parallel combinations are common in practice for two reasons. First, to reach a target capacitance that is not available as a standard component value — for example, combining a 10 µF and a 4.7 µF to get 14.7 µF. Second, to reduce effective ESR (equivalent series resistance): multiple capacitors in parallel divide the ESR, which matters in switching power supplies and high-frequency bypass applications.
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