PC-01 · Chapter 1 · Passives & Components
Choosing a capacitor type
You need bulk and decoupling capacitance on a 5 V rail. Compare ceramic (MLCC), tantalum, polymer and aluminum electrolytic capacitors. Where would you use each?
| Level | ● screening |
| Track | General board |
| Really testing | Whether you know real capacitors lose capacitance with DC bias and temperature, and how ESR shapes the choice. |
Full worked answer: in the book, page 12 — what to say first, how to explain it, the numbers worth quoting and the follow-ups. About the book →
Going deeper
Extra explanation that is not in the book: worked numbers, where people go wrong, and how to say it in the room.
Going deeper for this question is coming.
Errata
Correction: Electrolytic-capacitor lifetime wording fixed: the rule is per 10 °C of extra temperature, not "above rating". Fixed before the first printing. All errata
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