Courtesy by HowStuffWorks What is a Capacitor? According to Wikipedia, A capacitor (formerly known as condenser ) is a passive electrical component used to store energy in an electric field . The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but all contain at least two conductors separated by a non-conductor. Capacitors used as parts of electrical systems, for example, consist of metal foils separated by a layer of insulating film. Electrolytic Capacitor A capacitor is a passive electronic component consisting of a pair of conductors separated by a dielectric (insulator). When there is a potential difference (voltage) across the conductors, a static electric field develops across the dielectric, causing positive charge to collect on one plate and negative charge on the other plate. Energy is stored in th...