there was a question that i couldn't answer in my book. the question said:

A student places a capacitor across the terminals of a D.C power supply. ( the voltage is not constant) Suggest how this produces a constant voltage.

 

I have moved this to Homework Help.

 

by storing energy. think of it like a flywheel on a motor.

 

how? can you explain more?

 

a capacitor stores energy, the greater the value in farads, the more it stores. like a battery, except not as great a storeage capacity. the storeage is generaly thought of as a stress in the molecular structure of the insulation seperating the plates. when currrent is pulled from the power supply, and the ourput voltage tries to drop, the cap makes up for some of the power. I have used large capacitors across power supplies before, when starting surge current is to great for the supply to handle.