Parallel Plate Capacitance Calculator
Compute C = ε₀ × εᵣ × A / d for a parallel plate capacitor — choose plate area, separation, and dielectric material.
Capacitor Parameters
Enter plate area, separation, and dielectric to calculate capacitance.
Result
Enter values and click Calculate.
Capacitance (C)
—
Formula with values
Input Summary
- Area (A)
- —
- Separation (d)
- —
- εᵣ
- —
Formula
- C = ε₀ × εᵣ × A / d
- ε₀ = 8.854187817 × 10⁻¹² F/m | εᵣ = relative permittivity | A = plate area (m²) | d = separation (m)
- Larger area → higher capacitance (more charge per volt)
- Smaller gap → higher capacitance (stronger field)
- Higher εᵣ → higher capacitance (material polarizes, stores more energy)
Summary
Compute C = ε₀ × εᵣ × A / d for a parallel plate capacitor — choose plate area, separation, and dielectric material.
How it works
- Enter the plate area in cm² or m² using the unit selector.
- Enter the plate separation in mm or m using the unit selector.
- Select the dielectric material from the dropdown or enter a custom relative permittivity (εᵣ).
- Click Calculate to get the capacitance auto-scaled to pF, nF, or µF.
- The substituted formula is shown so you can verify each step.
Use cases
- Design parallel plate capacitors for electronics and RF circuits.
- Estimate capacitance of PCB trace pairs separated by a dielectric substrate.
- Verify capacitor sizing in sensor and MEMS design.
- Solve physics homework problems on electrostatics and capacitance.
- Compare dielectric materials for a fixed plate geometry.
- Understand how plate area and gap affect capacitance in touchscreen design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: 2026-06-11 ·
Reviewed by Nham Vu