- A capacitor relies on the electric field produced when electrically conductive plates are placed near each other without touching. This phenomenon occurs because air does not permit current to easily flow across the plates.
- Charge is supplied to each plate by connecting the capacitor to a battery or some other power source. One plate is connected to the positive terminal, and the other plate is connected to the negative terminal.
- The buildup of positive charge on one plate and negative charge on the other plate leads to an energy field which persists even when power to the plates is removed. This can be used as temporary energy storage or as a filter to avoid circuit overloads.
