Mutual capacitance is intentional or unintentional
capacitanceIn electromagnetism and electronics, capacitance is the ability of a body to hold an electrical charge.Capacitance is also a measure of the amount of electric charge stored for a given electric potential. A common form of charge storage device is a parallel-plate capacitor...
that occurs between two charge-holding objects or conductors, in which the current passing through one passes over into the other. Unlike mutual inductance, mutual capacitance only works along short distances. In transmission lines, when conductors are closely spaced together, the air or material separating them acts as a
dielectricA dielectric is a nonconducting substance, i.e. an insulator. The term was coined by William Whewell in response to a request from Michael Faraday...
, and the conductors act as capacitor plates.
All objects in the universe, conducting or non-conducting, that hold charge with respect to another exhibit capacitance.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Mutual capacitance' Start a new discussion about 'Mutual capacitance' Answer questions from other users |
Mutual capacitance is intentional or unintentional
capacitanceIn electromagnetism and electronics, capacitance is the ability of a body to hold an electrical charge.Capacitance is also a measure of the amount of electric charge stored for a given electric potential. A common form of charge storage device is a parallel-plate capacitor...
that occurs between two charge-holding objects or conductors, in which the current passing through one passes over into the other. Unlike mutual inductance, mutual capacitance only works along short distances. In transmission lines, when conductors are closely spaced together, the air or material separating them acts as a
dielectricA dielectric is a nonconducting substance, i.e. an insulator. The term was coined by William Whewell in response to a request from Michael Faraday...
, and the conductors act as capacitor plates.
All objects in the universe, conducting or non-conducting, that hold charge with respect to another exhibit capacitance. An object's capacitance increases when another object is brought closer to it. The human body is a great charge-holding object (capacitor) (this biological property is called
body capacitanceBody capacitance is a biological property of the human body that makes it a good capacitor and able to store charge. This principle allows touch switches and proximity detectors to interface with the human body the way they do. It is also why humans can build up static charge and get shocked when...
), and sensitive capacitive detectors can be made to function as
proximity detectorProximity detectors are devices that use mutual capacitance between itself and object in order to detect its presence.There are many types of proximity detector. Common types include:# magnetic proximity switch# infrared proximity switch...
s. The capacitive property of the human body is also helpful in making
touch switchA touch switch is a type of switch that only has to be touched by an object to operate. It is used in many lamps and wall switches that have a metal exterior as well as on public computer terminals. A touchscreen includes an array of touch switches on a display....
es, such as those used in touch-activated lamps. The lamp constantly charges and discharges its metal exterior, measuring a change in capacitance.
When mutual capacitance occurs adversely (unintentionally) between transmission lines, this is an example of crosstalk.
See also
- capacitive coupling
In electronics, capacitive coupling is the transfer of energy within an electrical network by means of the capacitance between circuit nodes. This coupling can have an intentional or accidental effect...
- capacitance
In electromagnetism and electronics, capacitance is the ability of a body to hold an electrical charge.Capacitance is also a measure of the amount of electric charge stored for a given electric potential. A common form of charge storage device is a parallel-plate capacitor...
- capacitor
A capacitor or condenser is a passive electronic component consisting of a pair of conductors separated by a dielectric. When a voltage potential difference exists between the conductors, an electric field is present in the dielectric. This field stores energy and produces a mechanical force...
- mutual inductance
- inductive coupling
In electrical engineering, two conductors are referred to as inductively coupled when they are configured such that change in current flow through one wire induces a voltage across the ends of the other wire....
- crosstalk
External links