Microfarad to Picofarad Converter
What Is a Microfarad?
The microfarad (μF) equals 10⁻⁶ farads. Standard for electrolytic capacitors and power supply filtering.
What Is a Picofarad?
The picofarad (pF) equals 10⁻¹² farads or 0.000001 μF. It is used for very small capacitors in RF circuits, oscillators, and high-frequency applications.
Microfarad to Picofarad Formula
The conversion formula is:
pF = μF × 1,000,000
Exact: 1 μF = 1,000,000 pF (metric prefix: micro = 10⁶ × pico).
Worked Example
Convert 0.001 microfarad (0.001 μF (= 1 nF = 1,000 pF)):
- Calculate: 0.001 → 1,000 picofarad
Common Use Cases
- RF circuit design: Antenna matching networks and RF filters use capacitors in the 1–100 pF range, while the same schematic may specify µF values for power supply bypass.
- PCB parasitic capacitance: Trace-to-trace and pad-to-ground parasitic capacitances are typically 0.5–5 pF, which can be significant at GHz frequencies.
- Crystal oscillator loading: Quartz crystal circuits require specific load capacitances, commonly 12–22 pF, to achieve the correct oscillation frequency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are picofarads used in RF circuits instead of microfarads?
At radio frequencies (MHz to GHz), even tiny capacitances have significant reactance. A 10 pF capacitor at 1 GHz has a reactance of about 16 ohms, which is useful for impedance matching. Using microfarad values would result in essentially zero reactance at these frequencies, making the capacitor act as a short circuit.
How do I convert a capacitor marked in pF to µF for a schematic?
Divide the picofarad value by 1,000,000. For example, 4,700 pF = 0.0047 µF. For intermediate conversions, you can go through nanofarads: 4,700 pF = 4.7 nF = 0.0047 µF. Many engineers find it easier to convert pF to nF first (divide by 1,000), then nF to µF (divide by 1,000 again).
What is the smallest capacitor value commonly available?
Standard ceramic capacitors are available down to 0.5 pF (0.0000005 µF). These ultra-small values are used in VHF/UHF tuning circuits and precision instrumentation. Below 1 pF, parasitic board capacitance often dominates, making discrete components impractical.
When would I need picofarad values?
Picofarads are used in RF circuits, antenna tuning, oscillators, and high-frequency filters. A typical FM radio tuning capacitor ranges from 5–50 pF. Wi-Fi chip capacitors are often 0.5–10 pF.
Conversion Formula
To convert microfarad to picofarad, multiply by 1000000:
Value in picofarads = value in microfarad × 1000000
Example: 1 microfarad × 1000000 = 1000000 picofarads
Microfarads to picofarads Conversion Table
Reference table with common microfarads to picofarads conversions. All values calculated with high precision.
Microfarads to Picofarads Table
1 to 100000
Picofarads to Microfarads Table
1000000 to 1 × 1011
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