capacitance

ca·pac·i·tance | \ kə-ˈpa-sə-tən(t)s

Definition of capacitance

1a : the property of an electric nonconductor that permits the storage of energy as a result of the separation of charge that occurs when opposite surfaces of the nonconductor are maintained at a difference of potential

b : the measure of this property that is equal to the ratio of the charge on either surface to the potential difference between the surfaces

2 : a part of a circuit or network that possesses capacitance

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Examples of capacitance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Neurons firing action potentials that affect the downstream cells they are wired to (via synapses) are one type of mechanism, as are electronic circuits, made of transistors, capacitances, resistances and wires. — Christof Koch, Scientific American, "Will Machines Ever Become Conscious?," 1 Dec. 2019 Fingerprint scanners work on this same principle, just at a level small enough to measure the ridges and valleys of your fingerprint—a ridge will affect capacitance more than a valley, and thus an electrical fingerprint is measured. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "OnePlus 6T Review: Amazing value with an even more amazing fingerprint reader," 29 Oct. 2018 Meanwhile, a capacitance sensor measures the electrical charge in the leaf. — Nathan Hurst, Smithsonian, "This Snap-On Sensor Could Tell Farmers Exactly How Much To Water Their Crops," 27 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'capacitance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Capacitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capacitance. Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for capacitance

capacitance

noun

ca·pac·i·tance | \ kə-ˈpas-ət-ən(t)s

Medical Definition of capacitance

1a : the property of an electric nonconductor that permits the storage of energy as a result of the separation of charge occurring when opposite surfaces of the nonconductor are maintained at a difference of potential

b : the measure of this property equal to the ratio of the charge on either surface to the potential difference between the surfaces

2 : a part of a circuit or network that possesses capacitance