Electric Capacitance Converter
Convert between electrical capacitance units
Professional capacitance converter for electrical engineers and electronics professionals. Convert between farads, microfarads, nanofarads, picofarads, and other electrical capacitance units with precision.
Microfarad (μF)
Nanofarad (nF)
1 μF = 1000 nF
Conversion factor: 1 μF = 999.9999999999999 nF
Mathematical Formulas
1 Farad (F) = 1,000 millifarads (mF)
1 mF = 1,000 microfarads (μF)
1 μF = 1,000 nanofarads (nF)
1 nF = 1,000 picofarads (pF)
Capacitance conversions follow powers of 1,000 (10³) between major units. Each step represents a three-order magnitude change.
Scientific Notation
Conversion Examples
Example 1: 2.2 μF = 2,200 nF = 2,200,000 pF
Example 2: 470 pF = 0.47 nF = 0.00047 μF
Example 3: 1 mF = 1,000 μF = 1,000,000 nF
Fundamental Concepts
C = Q / V
Capacitance = Charge / Voltage
Capacitance measures a component's ability to store electrical charge. One farad represents the capacitance of a capacitor that stores one coulomb of charge at one volt potential difference.
Types of Capacitors
Ceramic Capacitors
1 pF to 10 μF - High frequency, low cost
Electrolytic Capacitors
1 μF to 1 F - High capacitance, polarized
Film Capacitors
1 nF to 100 μF - Stable, precise
Supercapacitors
1 F to 1000 F - Energy storage
AC vs DC Behavior
DC Circuits: Capacitors block steady current after charging
AC Circuits: Capacitive reactance Xc = 1/(2πfC)
Impedance: Z = √(R² + Xc²) in RC circuits
Conversion Multipliers
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| F | mF | 1,000 |
| mF | μF | 1,000 |
| μF | nF | 1,000 |
| nF | pF | 1,000 |
| pF | nF | 0.001 |
| μF | pF | 1,000,000 |
Power of 10 Notation
Engineering Notation: Use multiples of 10³
1 kF = 10³ F = 1,000 F
1 mF = 10⁻³ F = 0.001 F
1 μF = 10⁻⁶ F = 0.000001 F
1 nF = 10⁻⁹ F = 0.000000001 F
1 pF = 10⁻¹² F = 0.000000000001 F
Memory Aids
Tip: Each unit is 1,000 times smaller than the previous
Remember: F → mF → μF → nF → pF (decreasing size)
Circuit Design
Filter Circuits
1 nF - 100 μF for audio filtering
Coupling Capacitors
0.1 μF - 10 μF for AC coupling
Decoupling Capacitors
10 nF - 100 μF for power supply filtering
Timing Circuits
1 pF - 1 mF for RC time constants
Power Systems
Power Factor Correction
1 μF - 1 mF for industrial applications
Energy Storage
1 F - 1000 F supercapacitors
Motor Start Capacitors
10 μF - 1 mF for AC motors
DC Link Capacitors
100 μF - 10 mF in inverters
RF & High Frequency
Tuning Capacitors
1 pF - 1 nF for RF circuits
Bypass Capacitors
1 nF - 100 nF for high frequency
Antenna Matching
10 pF - 10 nF for impedance matching
Oscillator Circuits
1 pF - 100 pF for crystal oscillators
Consumer Electronics
Smartphone Capacitors
1 pF - 100 μF (various functions)
Computer Power Supplies
100 μF - 10 mF electrolytic caps
Audio Equipment
1 nF - 1 mF for coupling/filtering
LED Drivers
1 μF - 1 mF for power smoothing
Industrial Applications
Motor Control
10 μF - 1 mF for AC motor starting
Renewable Energy
1 mF - 100 mF in inverters
Welding Equipment
1 mF - 10 mF energy storage
UPS Systems
100 μF - 10 mF backup power
Specialized Applications
Medical Devices
1 pF - 100 μF precision capacitors
Automotive Electronics
1 nF - 1 mF harsh environment
Aerospace Systems
1 pF - 100 μF high reliability
Test Equipment
1 pF - 1 μF precision standards
International Standards
IEC 60384 Series
International standard for fixed capacitors for electronic equipment. Covers safety requirements, testing methods, and quality assurance.
IEEE Standards
IEEE 18 covers measurement of electrical properties. IEEE 62 addresses guide for diagnostic field testing.
ANSI/EIA Standards
American standards for capacitor marking, testing, and reliability. Includes color coding and value marking systems.
Tolerance Classifications
| Class | Tolerance | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Precision | ±1% to ±5% | Critical circuits |
| Standard | ±10% to ±20% | General purpose |
| Wide | ±20% to ±80% | Non-critical |
Measurement Standards
Primary Standards
National metrology institutes maintain primary capacitance standards traceable to fundamental constants. Accuracy: ±0.001%.
Working Standards
Laboratory reference capacitors for calibration. Typical accuracy: ±0.01% to ±0.1%.
Field Standards
Portable standards for on-site calibration. Accuracy: ±0.1% to ±1%.
Temperature Coefficients
Frequency Considerations
Capacitance values can vary with frequency due to parasitic effects. Always consider ESR and ESL in high-frequency applications.