CHOOSING CAPACITORS
Size and shape as well as electrical charactaristics  must be considered if it is to fit into the  available space.
AXIAL capacitors are the same shape as resistors with a wire coming out of each end.
RADIAL ones have both leads coming out of the same end.
Make sure it has the correct lead spacing.
Ensure that the circuit voltages do not exceed the capacitors maximum working voltage.
Electrolytic and tantalum capacitors are polarised and must be fitted the correct way round.

TYPE                             RANGE             TOLERANCE   STABILITY          APPLICATIONS
paper                          10 nF to 10 uF        10%           fair              motor start, mains interference suppression
silver mica                  5 pF to 10 nF          0.5 %        excellent      tuned circuits and filters
ceramic low loss         5 pf to 10 nF          10 %          good            coupling and decoupling
ceramic high k            5 pF to 1 uF           20 %          fair                                "
ceramic monolithic     1 nF to 47 uF         10 %          good                             "
polystyrene                 50pF to 0.5 uF        1 %           excellent      tuned circuits, timing and filters.
polyester                    100 pF to 2 uF         5 %           fair               general purpose, coupling and decoupling.
polypropylene            1 nF to 100 uF         5 %           fair               mains suppression and motor start
electrolytic                 1uF to 100,000 uF    50 %         fair               LF decoupling and smoothing
tantalum                    1 uF to 2000 uF        5 %           excellent     LF coupling, decoupling and timing


Copyright Graham Knott 1999