If capacitors are arranged in parallel, how is their total capacitance determined?

When capacitors are arranged in parallel, the total capacitance is determined by adding together the capacitances of each individual capacitor. This is because, in a parallel arrangement, all the capacitors share the same voltage across their terminals while their capacitance values contribute collectively to store charge.

In simple terms, each capacitor in parallel provides a separate path for charge storage. As more capacitors are added in this configuration, they increase the total charge capacity of the system. The formula for calculating total capacitance in parallel is:

[ C_{total} = C_1 + C_2 + C_3 + \ldots + C_n ]

This linear summation reflects the fact that parallel capacitors can be thought of as forming a larger capacitor with increased charge-storage capability. Thus, the total capacitance is equal to the sum of their individual capacitances, making the parallel configuration beneficial when a higher capacitance is required without increasing the voltage.

For clarity, any options suggesting that the total capacitance is less than or greater than the sum of the individual capacitances, or that it remains unchanged, do not accurately represent how capacitance behaves in a parallel configuration.