Filter Capacitor- Explained

A filter capacitor is a capacitor which filters out a certain frequency or range of frequencies from a circuit.

Usually capacitors filter out very low frequency signals. These are signals that are very close to 0Hz in
frequency value. These are also referred to as DC signals.

How Filter Capacitors Work

How filter capacitors work is based on the principle of capacitive reactance. Capacitive reactance is how
the impedance (or resistance) of a capacitor changes in regard to the frequency of the signal passing
through it. Resistors are nonreactive devices. This means that resistors offer the same resistance to a
signal, regardless of the signal's frequency. This means, for example, that a signal of 1Hz and a signal of
100KHZ, will pass through a resistor with the same resistance. Frequency isn't a factor. However, a
capacitor is not like this. A capacitor is a reactive device. Its resistance, or impedance, will vary according
to the frequency of the signal passing through. Capacitors are reactive devices which offer higher
resistance to lower frequency signals and, conversely, lower resistance to higher frequency signals,
according to the formula XC= 1/2fc.
Being that a capacitor offers different impedance values to different frequency signals, it can act
effectively as a resistor in a circuit. We will explain below how using actual circuits.

Filter Capacitor Circuit To Block DC and Pass AC

Being that capacitors have offer very high resistance to low frequency signals and low resistance to high
frequency signals, it acts as a high pass filter, which is a filter which passes high frequency signals and
blocks low frequency signals.

Many times in a circuit, both DC and AC signals need to be both be used in a circuit, at least at a certain
stage of the circuit. However, at another stage, in the circuit, we may only want AC signals and the DC
taken out. An example of such a circuit is a microphone circuit. We need DC as input to the microphone
for it to be able to be powered on and we need AC as input, which represents the voice signal or music,
etc. which we want the microphone to record.

How do we filter out the DC component of the signal?

We use a capacitor to filter out the DC signal.

We do this by placing the capacitor in series. In this configuration, which is the circuit you see below, this
is a capacitive high-pass filter. Low frequency, or DC, signals will be blocked.

Usually, a 0.1F ceramic capacitor, or value around that range, is placed after the signal that contains
both DC and AC signals. And this capacitor filters out the DC component so that only AC goes through.
Filter Capacitor Circuit To Filter Out AC Signals
In the same way that capacitors can act as high-pass filters, to pass high frequencies and block DC, they
can act as low-pass filters, to pass DC signals and block AC.

Instead of placing the capacitor in series with the component, the capacitor will be placed in parallel.

The above is a high-frequency capacitive filter. Remember that current takes the path of least resistance.
Since a capacitor offers very low resistance to high frequency signals, high frequency signals will go
through the capacitor. In this way, with the circuit in this configuration, the circuit is a high frequency filter.
Low frequency current signals will not go through the capacitor, because it offers too much resistance to
low frequency signals. Only high frequency signals go through.

Filter Capacitor Experiment

To see how a capacitor acts as a filter, you can conduct an experiment with relative ease.

All you have to do is take a capacitor, any value or type, and hook it to a function generator. Then take an
oscilloscope and connect it to the output of the capacitor.

For my experiment, I hooked up a 100nF (0.1F) ceramic capacitor in series with a function generator to
see which frequencies the capacitor blocked or attenuated and which frequencies went through
unimpeded.

It turns out the capacitor blocked only very low frequency signals, between 0 Hz to about 0.5Hz, or 500
mHz. It will attenuate signals a little from about 0.5Hz to 3Hz. But after that, it no longer attenuates signals
above 3Hz. Signals 4Hz and above go through completely unimpeded, unblocked and unattenuated.

Frequency Signal Output

Great amount of attenuation;
0 Hz to 0.5Hz
Almost Completely Blocked
Some attenuation of the
0.5Hz to 3Hz
signal but not much
Signal goes through
3Hz and Above completely unimpeded; No
attenuation

And you can perform the same test in parallel for a high frequency filter setup.

http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Filter-capacitor.php

High Pass Filter- Explained

A high pass filter is a filter which passes high-frequency signals and blocks, or impedes, low-frequency
signals.

In other words, high-frequency signals go through much easier and low-frequency signals have a much
harder getting through, which is why it's a high pass filter.
High pass filters can be constructed using resistors with either capacitors or inductors. A high pass filter
composed of a resistor and a capacitor is called a high pass RC filter. And a high pass filter with a resistor
and an inductor is called a high pass RL filter.

We will go through both of these type of circuits on this page and show how both RC and LC high pass
filters are constructed. Both circuits have the effect of passing through high frequency signals while
impeding low-frequency ones.

High Pass RC Filter

A high pass RC filter, again, is a filter which passes through high-frequency signals, composed of a
resistor and capacitor.

To create a high pass RC filter, the capacitor is placed in series with the power signal entering the circuit,
such as shown in the circuit below:

The above is a high pass filter. As a capacitor is a reactive device, it offers differing resistance to signals
of different frequencies entering through it. A capacitor is a reactive device which offers very high
resistance to low-frequency, or DC, signals. And low resistance to high-frequency signals. As it offers very
high resistance to DC signals, it blocks them from entering through, as you can see in the circuit diagram
above. So this type of filter only allows high-frequency signals to pass through and not DC. This type of
capacitor also functions as a coupling capacitor because it couples the AC signal from one part of a circuit
to another, while blocking the DC.

High pass filters are very common and are used in many type of circuit setups. One such circuit in which
they are used are in microphone circuits. Microphones are devices which need both DC and AC signals in
order to work. Microphones need DC power in order to have the power to turn on and be able to operate.
And they record AC signals, such as human speech, music, noises. Thus, they deal with both type of
signals. The DC is only needed to power the microphone on and should not appear on the output with the
AC signal. The DC is for power only and should not be mixed with the audio signal. So to pass the AC
signal through and block the DC, we use a high pass filter, so that only the AC signal appears on the
output.
How to Build a RC High Pass Filter
Now that we've gone through what a high pass RC filter is, let's go over a practical example of building
one.

To build a high pass filter, the components we will use are a function generator, a 10nF ceramic capacitor,
and a 10K Resistor.

This is the schematic of the circuit we will build, shown below:

So the formula to calculate the frequency of an RC circuit is, frequency= 1/2RC. Doing the math, we get,
frequency= 1/2RC= 1/2(3.14)(1000)(0.00000001F)= 15,923 Hz.

Therefore, this RC circuit will pass frequencies above 15,923Hz with barely no attenuation. Frequencies
below 15,923Hz will be attenuated. The further away and lower it is from 15,923Hz, the greater the output
signal is attenuated.

So if we input an AC signal into the circuit from the function generator and place the signal to a very low
frequency signal such as 100Hz or so, the capacitor will block out this voltage signal and it will not go
through to output or be greatly attenuated. You can check this if you have an oscilloscope. If you now
increase the frequency of the signal to 20KHz, the signal will go through unimpeded, not being blocked at
all. The capacitor will have no effect and all high frequency signals pass through unimpeded without any
attenuation.

This is a diagram below showing what happens to low and high frequencies when fed into this high pass
filter:

The low frequency signals (near 0 Hz) are blocked and do not go past the capacitor. Therefore, these
signals do not show up on output. The high frequency signals go through unimpeded and pass to output.
This is why it's a high pass filter. It passes through high frequencies but block low frequencies.

High Pass RL Filter

A high pass RL filter is a filter composed of a resistor and inductor which passes through high-frequency
signals.

To build a high pass RL filter, the inductor is placed in parallel to the power source signals entering the
circuit, as shown below in the following circuit:
The above circuit is an RL high pass filter. It passes through high frequency signals. An inductor, like a
capacitor, is a reactive device. Inductors offer different resistances to signals input into them of different
frequencies. Inductors pass low-frequency signals with very little resistance, while offering great
resistance to signals of high frequency. Thus, low-frequency signals pass through very easily without any
attenuation and high frequency signals are either completely blocked or greatly attenuated as output.

Off of this principle described, which is inductive reactance is how the above circuit operates. Remember
that current in a circuit always takes the path of least resistance. Since inductors offer such high
resistance to high frequency signals, current signals of high frequency will not go through the inductor of
this circuit. They will take an alternate path and go through another part of the circuit which offers lesser
resistance. In this circuit, instead of the high-frequency signals going through the inductor and down to
ground, they go through to output. And this is why this circuit is a high-pass filter circuit. Low frequency
signals, however, will go through the inductor, because inductors offer very low resistance to low-
frequency, or Dc, signals. Therefore, low-frequency current will take the path of going through the inductor
to ground.

How to Build a High Pass RL Filter

To build a high pass RL filter, again, just like with the RC circuit, we use a function generator, a resistor,
and an inductor. We use an oscillscope to check the signal.

For this circuit, we use a 4700H inductor and a 100K resistor, with the following circuit configuration:

This circuit will form a high pass filter, passing through high frequency signals through to output, while
filtering low-frequency signals through the inductor.

Since the formula for a high-pass RL filter is f= 2RL, doing the math we get, f= 2RL= 2(3.14)(100K)
(4700H)= 2951 Hz. This means all frequencies above 2951Hz will be passed through without
attentuation, while frequencies below this value will begin to get attenuated. As you get lower and lower
and further away from 2951Hz, there is greater attenuation as the frequency goes down.

To see how a high pass filter works in a real circuit, see the following video. Below you can see a video of
an RC high pass filter. This video demonstrates how the RC high pass filter lets high-frequency signals
pass through to output with full gain, no attenuation, while greatly attenuating low-frequency signals.

Low Pass Filter- Explained

A low pass filter is a filter which passes low-frequency signals and blocks, or impedes, high-frequency
signals.

In other words, low-frequency signals go through much easier and with less resistance and high-
frequency signals have a much harder getting through, which is why it's a low pass filter.

Low pass filters can be constructed using resistors with either capacitors or inductors. A low pass filter
composed of a resistor and a capacitor is called a low pass RC filter. And a low pass filter with a resistor
and an inductor is called a low pass RL filter.

We will go through both of these type of circuits on this page and show how both RC and LC low pass
filters are constructed. Both circuits have the effect of passing through low frequency signals while
impeding high-frequency ones.

Low Pass RC Filter

A Low pass RC filter, again, is a filter circuit composed of a resistor and capacitor which passes through
low-frequency signals, while blocking high frequency signals.

To create a low pass RC filter, the resistor is placed in series to the input signal and the capacitor is
placed in parallel to the input signal, such as shown in the circuit below:

So, with this setup, the above circuit is a low pass filter. As a capacitor is a reactivedevice, it offers
differing resistance to signals of different frequencies entering through it. A capacitor is a reactive device
which offers very high resistance to low-frequency or DC signals. And it offers low resistance to high-
frequency signals. As it offers very high resistance to DC signals, in this circuit, it will block DC from
entering and pass them off to an alternative part in the circuit, which is shown to the right by the arrow.
High-frequency signals will go through the capacitor, since the capacitor offers them a very low-resistance
path. Remember that current always takes the path of least resistance. Being that a capacitor represents
a low resistance in a circuit for high-frequency signals, they will take the path through the capacitor, while
low-frequency signals will take an alternative, lower-resistance path.

How to Build a Low Pass RC Filter

Now that we've gone through what a low pass RC filter is, let's go over a practical example of building
one.

To build a low pass filter, the components we will use are a function generator, a 10nF ceramic capacitor,
and a 1K resistor.

This is the schematic of the circuit we will build, shown below:

The formula to find the frequency cutoff point of an RC circuit is, frequency= 1/2RC. Doing the math,
with the values shown above, we get a frequency of, frequency= 1/2RC = 1/2(3.14)(1K)(10nF)=
15,923 Hz, which is approximately 15.9KHz.

This means that all frequencies above 15.9KHz are attenuated. And as you get further (higher) from the
15.9KHz region, the attenuation becomes greater and greater.

Frequencies below 15.9KHz are passed through without attenuation.

So if we input an AC signal into the circuit from the function generator and make the signal a low
frequency such as 10Hz, the circuit will pass this signal to output almost completely unattenuated. This is
because low frequency signals do not take the path of the capacitor. You can check this if you have an
oscilloscope. If you now increase the frequency of the signal to 30KHz, the signal will pass through to
output with great attenuation. This is because high-frequency signals go through the capacitor and not to
output, because capacitor is low resistance to them.

Low Pass RL Filter

A low pass RL filter, again, is a filter circuit composed of a resistor and inductor which passes through
low-frequency signals, while blocking high-frequency signals.

To create a low pass RL filter, the inductor is placed in series with the input signal and the resistor is
placed in parallel to the input signal, such as shown in the circuit below:
This circuit above is a low pass RL filter. How it works is based on the principle of inductive reactance.
Inductive reactance is how the impedance, or resistance, of the inductor changes based on the frequency
of the signal passing through the inductor. Unlike a resistor, which is a nonreactive device, an inductor
offers differing impedance values to signals of differing frequencies, just as capacitors do. However, unlike
capacitors, inductors offer very high resistance to high-frequency signals and offers low resistance to low-
frequency signals. So it's the opposite of a capacitor. Therefore, the placement of the resistors are
switched in RC and RL filter circuits. So, based on this, the above RL circuit works effectively as a low
pass filter. It blocks high-frequency signals from entering and allows low-frequency signals to pass
through unimpeded.

How to Build a Low Pass RL Filter

So, now that RL filters have been summarized, let's go over a practical example of building one.

To build a low pass filter, the components we will use are a function generator, a 4700H inductor, and a
100K resistor.

This is the schematic of the circuit we will build, shown below:

The formula to find the frequency cutoff point of an RL circuit is, frequency= 2RL. Doing the math, with
the values shown above, we get a frequency of, frequency= 2RL = 2(3.14)(100K)(4700H)= 2,951 Hz,
which is approximately 2.9KHz.

This means that all frequencies above 2.9KHz are attenuated. And as you get further (higher) from the
2.9KHz region, the attenuation becomes greater and greater.

Frequencies below 2.9KHz are passed through without attenuation.

So, again, you can check this on an oscilloscope to see that very low-frequency signals are passed
through to output unattenuated, while high-frequency signals undergo attenuation.

To see how a low pass filter works in a real circuit, see the following video. Below you can see a video of
an RC low pass filter. This video demonstrates how the RC low pass filter lets low-frequency signals pass
through to output with full gain, no attenuation, while greatly attenuating high-frequency signals.