Electrical devices rely on electrical circuits, and electrical circuits are all about getting electricity to the right places at the right time and in the right amounts. To facilitate the directing of energy flow there are many different types of electrical components; two types that get mistaken for one another a lot are transistors and capacitors. (Their names do sound quite familiar.) In this article, we will explain what each component does and the differences between them.

 

Transistors are similar to two other components found in electrical systems: switches and amplifiers. (The difference is, they singularly accomplish what both of those components do.) Switches activate or deactivate certain parts of an electrical circuit, and amplifiers convert the energy flowing through a circuit into a higher voltage. Thus, transistors are used to direct energy flow and can also convert it into a higher voltage. Transistors, when they were first invented, revolutionized electrical devices because they made it so they could be made smaller.

 

Capacitors can store electrical energy. Unlike batteries, which store energy in a chemical form, capacitors store electrical energy in an electric field. They consist of two metal plates (conductors) placed parallel to each other and separated by an insulator (a dielectric medium). When electricity is directed into the capacitor, it collects on the conductors in two polarities: positive and negative. The insulator prevents the two conductors from touching, which would cause an electrical short. Capacitors are useful in electrical systems because they provide an auxiliary source of electricity for other components. When they are being charged, batteries output less power - but if you include a capacitor in the electrical system that won't be a problem.