What does capacitance permit the capacitor to do?

Capacitance is a fundamental property of capacitors, which allows them to store an electrical charge. When a voltage is applied across a capacitor, an electric field is created within its dielectric material, causing positive and negative charges to accumulate on its plates. The amount of charge stored is proportional to the voltage applied and the capacitance value of the capacitor, which is determined by factors such as the surface area of the plates, the distance between them, and the type of dielectric material used.

This ability to store charge makes capacitors essential components in various electrical and electronic applications, such as energy storage, smoothing out voltage fluctuations in power supplies, and filtering signals in circuits. Being able to store energy temporarily also enables capacitors to release that energy quickly when needed, benefiting applications like timing circuits and pulse generation. Thus, capacitance fundamentally allows capacitors to excel in their role of charge storage in electrical systems.