How Does a Capacitor Discharge?
What Is a Capacitor? In 1745, German physicist Dean von Kleist discovered that he could hold an electric charge in a glass jar. Von Kleist accomplished this by charging a nail or brass wire and putting it into a glass jar. He discovered that in some cases, his nail in a jar would hold a charge for several hours. This was the first capacitor. (See “A History of Science Volume II”). “PC Magazine” defines a capacitor as a “component that stores an electric charge and releases it when required.” Capacitors are made up of two conductive materials separated by something known as a “dielectric,” which is basically an insulator. Capacitors are used in practically every high-tech electronic gadget on the market and can perform a variety of functions. One of the most well-known functions of a capacitor is its ability to act like a battery and store electricity for later use. Electron Storage Tanks Capacitors are somewhat like batteries. The difference is that batteries create electrons but capac
