What a capacitor does
What a capacitor does
A capacitor stores separated charge on two conductors and stores energy in the electric field between them. It does not store current, and the insulating material between the plates is called the dielectric.
Step-by-step lessons on Edexcel A Level Physics Capacitors and RC circuits. Each one builds up to exam-style questions. Physics is one of the most mathematically demanding A Levels -- at least 40% of the marks across the three papers require maths skills at Level 2 (GCSE) standard or above, so build calculation and graph-handling fluency alongside the conceptual content from the start.