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Capacitance Converter

Convert electrostatic charge storage across Farads (F), Millifarads (mF), Microfarads (µF), Nanofarads (nF), and Picofarads (pF) with real-time bidirectional calculations.

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Instant pair conversions with verified scientific and mathematical formulas

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Capacitance Reference Equivalents (1 Farad)

Standard ratios measured against the base Farad (F)

Reference Table

Unit Name	Symbol	Equivalent in 1 F	Quick Pair Page
Farad	F	1 F = 1 F	Base Unit
Millifarad	mF	1 F = 1,000 mF	F to mF →
Microfarad	µF	1 F = 1,000,000 µF	F to µF →
Nanofarad	nF	1 F = 1,000,000,000 nF	F to nF →
Picofarad	pF	1 F = 1.000000e+12 pF	F to pF →

Capacitor Standard Value & Numerical Code Conversion Chart

Lookup table for three-digit capacitor markings (e.g. 104, 473, 102) across Picofarads, Nanofarads, and Microfarads

Lookup Matrix

3-Digit EIA Marking	Picofarads (pF)	Nanofarads (nF)	Microfarads (µF)	Typical Circuit Application
100 (10 pF)	10 pF	0.010 nF	0.000010 µF	Crystal Oscillator Load Tuning
101 (100 pF)	100 pF	0.100 nF	0.000100 µF	RF Antenna Matching / Snubber
102 (1,000 pF)	1,000 pF	1.0 nF	0.0010 µF	High-Frequency EMI Suppression
103 (10,000 pF)	10,000 pF	10.0 nF	0.010 µF	Op-Amp Audio Filtering Stage
473 (47,000 pF)	47,000 pF	47.0 nF	0.047 µF	Tone Control & Active Filters
104 (100,000 pF)	100,000 pF	100.0 nF	0.10 µF	Standard IC VCC Decoupling Bypass
105 (1,000,000 pF)	1,000,000 pF	1,000.0 nF	1.0 µF	Linear LDO Voltage Regulator Input
106 (10,000,000 pF)	10,000,000 pF	10,000.0 nF	10.0 µF	DC-DC Buck Converter Output Filter
107 (100,000,000 pF)	100,000,000 pF	100,000.0 nF	100.0 µF	Power Supply Bulk Electrolytic
108 (1,000,000,000 pF)	1,000,000,000 pF	1,000,000.0 nF	1,000.0 µF	Audio Amplifier Rail Smoothing
Supercapacitor (1 Farad)	10¹² pF	1,000,000,000 nF	1,000,000 µF	RTC Real-Time Clock Memory Backup
Ultracapacitor (3,000 Farad)	3 × 10¹⁵ pF	3 × 10¹² nF	3 × 10⁹ µF	Automotive Regenerative Braking

Circuit Theory & Electrostatics

Capacitance: Electrostatic Fields, Dielectrics & EIA Capacitor Codes

Authoritative guide to capacitance, dielectric constants, parallel-plate physics, RC time constants, and unit conversions across electronics design.

Electrostatic Storage & Parallel-Plate Physics

A capacitor stores electrical potential energy within the electrostatic field created between two conducting electrodes separated by an insulating dielectric:

C = ε_r · ε_0 · (A / d) | U = ½ · C · V² = ½ · (Q² / C)

Capacitance & Stored Energy Equations (ε_r = relative permittivity, ε_0 = vacuum permittivity 8.854 × 10⁻¹² F/m, U = energy in Joules)

By incorporating high-dielectric-constant materials (such as ceramic barium titanate with ε_r > 1,000), multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) achieve microfarad-level capacitance in microscopic surface-mount footprints.

RC Time Constant & Transient Response

When a capacitor charges or discharges through a series resistor R, the voltage across the capacitor changes exponentially according to the RC Time Constant (τ):

τ = R · C | V(t) = V_0 · (1 - e^(-t / τ))

RC Time Constant (τ = seconds, R = Ohms, C = Farads; after 5τ the capacitor is 99.3% charged)

In electronic circuits, RC networks form the foundation of timing circuits (555 oscillators), reset delay lines, and low-pass anti-aliasing filters.

Dielectric Types & Application Selection

Capacitor technologies match specific engineering frequency demands:

Ceramic MLCCs (C0G/NP0, X7R, X5R): Range from 1 pF to 100 µF. C0G offers ultra-stable zero temperature drift for RF circuits; X7R delivers compact decoupling bypass for digital microprocessors.
Aluminum & Tantalum Electrolytic: High capacitance per volume (1 µF to 10,000 µF) for DC power supply rail smoothing and audio coupling.
Film Capacitors (Polypropylene, Polyester): Exceptional voltage endurance (up to thousands of Volts) and low dielectric losses, ideal for high-power inverters, snubber circuits, and speaker crossovers.

About Capacitance Units & Formulas

Multiply capacitance by the factor relative to 1 Farad (F).

FaradF

SI unit of capacitance (1 C/V)

MillifaradmF

0.001 Farads

MicrofaradµF

10⁻⁶ Farads

NanofaradnF

10⁻⁹ Farads

PicofaradpF

10⁻¹² Farads

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Capacitance Converter FAQs

Frequently asked questions regarding capacitance conversion metrics, formulas, and real-world calculation standards

How do you convert Microfarads (µF) to Nanofarads (nF)?

To convert Microfarads (μF) to Nanofarads (nF), multiply by 1,000: nF = μF × 1,000.

Examples:

A 0.1 μF bypass capacitor: 0.1 × 1,000 = 100 nF (EIA marking 104).
A 0.047 μF audio capacitor: 0.047 × 1,000 = 47 nF (EIA marking 473).
Reverse Conversion: Divide nF by 1,000 to get μF (e.g., 10 nF ÷ 1,000 = 0.01 μF).

What is capacitance in electrical physics?

Capacitance (C) is the ability of an electrical component or circuit to collect and store energy in the form of an electrostatic field between separated conductors per unit of potential difference:

C = Q / V

SI Derived Unit: Farad (F), named after Michael Faraday. 1 Farad = 1 Coulomb / 1 Volt = 1 s⁴·A²·m⁻²·kg⁻¹.
Sub-Units: Because 1 Farad is an immense quantity of charge, circuit engineering operates primarily in microfarads (μF, 10⁻⁶ F), nanofarads (nF, 10⁻⁹ F), and picofarads (pF, 10⁻¹² F).
Parallel-Plate Formula: C = ε · (A ÷ d), where ε is dielectric permittivity, A is plate area, and d is plate separation.

How do you read a three-digit capacitor code (e.g., 104, 222, 473)?

Standard ceramic and film capacitors use a 3-digit numerical code specifying capacitance in Picofarads (pF):

First Two Digits: Significant figures (base value).
Third Digit: Multiplier (power of 10, or number of zeros added to the end).
Code 104: 10 × 10⁴ pF = 100,000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 μF.
Code 222: 22 × 10² pF = 2,200 pF = 2.2 nF = 0.0022 μF.
Code 473: 47 × 10³ pF = 47,000 pF = 47 nF = 0.047 μF.

How do capacitors combine in parallel vs series circuits?

Capacitor combination formulas are the exact opposite of resistors:

Parallel Capacitors: Plate areas effectively combine, increasing total charge capacity: C_total = C₁ + C₂ + C₃ + ...
Series Capacitors: Voltage divides across multiple gaps, reducing equivalent capacitance: 1 / C_total = (1 / C₁) + (1 / C₂) + (1 / C₃) + ... (For two capacitors in series: C_total = (C₁ × C₂) ÷ (C₁ + C₂)).

What is a supercapacitor (ultracapacitor)?

A supercapacitor (electric double-layer capacitor, EDLC) achieves thousands of times higher capacitance than electrolytic capacitors—reaching 1 to 3,000 Farads per cell.

Instead of a conventional solid dielectric, supercapacitors use porous activated carbon electrodes with immense surface areas (up to 2,000 m²/g) separated by molecular-scale electrostatic double layers (~1 nanometer), allowing massive electrostatic energy density for regenerative braking and power backup.