What is the ability to store energy in an electric field called?

The ability to store energy in an electric field is referred to as capacitance. This property is inherent to capacitors, which are components specifically designed for this purpose. When a voltage is applied across a capacitor, it separates charges and creates an electric field between the plates, thus storing electrical energy. The amount of energy stored in a capacitor is directly related to its capacitance, which is measured in farads. Capacitance plays a key role in various circuits, including timing applications, filtering, and energy storage systems.

Understanding capacitance is important for ham radio operators because it impacts circuit design, particularly in tuning and filtering applications where capacitors are commonly used to manage signals effectively.