Capacitance Conversion Calculator

About the Capacitance Conversion Calculator

Capacitance describes the ability of an electronic component to store electrical charge. The farad (F) is the SI unit, but most real-world capacitors are measured in picofarads (pF), nanofarads (nF), or microfarads (µF) because one farad represents an enormous amount of capacitance. Converting between these sub-units is a daily task for electronics engineers, hobbyists, and students in practical circuit work.

This capacitance conversion calculator lets you convert between picofarads, nanofarads, microfarads, millifarads, and farads. Enter your value, select the source unit, and see all equivalent values at once. The tool also estimates the charge stored at 5 volts using Q = CV, making it practical for circuit design.

Whether you are reading datasheets, selecting replacement capacitors, designing filter circuits, or studying for an electronics exam, this converter eliminates mental math and unit errors. Use the built-in presets for common capacitor values and the reference table to quickly identify standard component ratings.

When This Page Helps

Capacitance spans many orders of magnitude — from single-digit picofarads in RF circuits to thousands of microfarads in power supplies and full farads in supercapacitors. Converting between pF, nF, µF, mF, and F involves moving the decimal point by factors of 1000, which is error-prone under time pressure. This calculator removes guesswork and provides instant, accurate conversions with common presets.

How to Use the Inputs

1. Select the source capacitance unit from the dropdown (pF, nF, µF, mF, or F).
2. Enter the capacitance value in the input field.
3. All equivalent values in other units update.
4. Click a preset button to load common capacitor values (e.g., 100 nF, 10 µF).
5. Review the scale comparison table to see values in standard and scientific notation.
6. Expand the common capacitor values table for real-world component references.
7. Use the charge output to estimate coulombs stored at 5V.

Example Calculation

Tips & Best Practices

• Remember: each step between pF → nF → µF → mF → F multiplies or divides by 1000.
• Most through-hole capacitors are rated in pF or µF — nF is more common in European datasheets.
• Supercapacitors (0.1 F to 100+ F) are used for backup power and energy harvesting.
• Ceramic capacitors range from about 1 pF to 100 µF; electrolytics cover 0.1 µF to 10,000+ µF.
• When reading capacitor codes (e.g., 104), the first two digits are significant and the third is the multiplier in pF: 104 = 10 × 10⁴ pF = 100 nF.
• Capacitance tolerance matters — a "10 µF" capacitor may measure anywhere from 8 µF to 12 µF depending on tolerance rating.

Understanding Capacitance Units

The farad is named after Michael Faraday. Because one farad is a very large amount of capacitance, engineers use metric sub-multiples: picofarads (10⁻¹²), nanofarads (10⁻⁹), microfarads (10⁻⁶), and millifarads (10⁻³). Moving between adjacent units always involves a factor of 1000.

Capacitor Types and Typical Ranges

Ceramic capacitors: 1 pF to 100 µF — used in decoupling, filtering, and RF circuits. Electrolytic capacitors: 0.1 µF to 10,000+ µF — polarized, used in power supply smoothing. Film capacitors: 100 pF to 100 µF — stable, used in audio and precision circuits. Supercapacitors: 0.1 F to 3000 F — used for energy storage and backup power.

EIA Capacitor Codes

Small capacitors often use a 3-digit code stamped on the body. The code represents picofarads: the first two digits are the value, the third is the multiplier (number of zeros). Example: 104 = 10 × 10⁴ pF = 100,000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF. A letter suffix indicates tolerance: J = ±5%, K = ±10%, M = ±20%.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many nanofarads in a microfarad?

  1 µF = 1000 nF. To convert µF to nF, multiply by 1000. To go from nF to µF, divide by 1000.

• How many picofarads in a nanofarad?

  1 nF = 1000 pF. These units each differ by a factor of 1000.

• What is a farad?

  A farad is the SI unit of capacitance. One farad stores one coulomb of charge per volt of potential. It is an extremely large unit; most capacitors are rated in µF or smaller.

• How do I read a 3-digit capacitor code?

  The first two digits are significant figures and the third digit is the number of trailing zeros, all in picofarads. For example, 473 = 47 × 10³ pF = 47,000 pF = 47 nF.

• What is the difference between µF and uF?

  They are the same unit — microfarads. "µF" uses the Greek letter mu, while "uF" is the ASCII approximation used in datasheets and PCB markings.

• How much energy does a capacitor store?

  Energy stored is E = ½CV², where C is capacitance in farads and V is voltage. A 1000 µF capacitor at 50V stores E = 0.5 × 0.001 × 2500 = 1.25 joules.