Definitions for "Electrolytic Capacitor"
A capacitor which is made with a "wet" dielectric. Electrolytic capacitors are prone to "drying out", whereby the dielectric no longer functions as it should, and the capacitor loses its capacitance. Electrolytic capacitors are polar, and it is important to keep the negative pole connected to a lower-voltage section of your circuit board, and the positive pole connected to the higher-voltage section of your circuit board. Circuit boards are typically labeled with the positive pole. Electrolytic Capacitors have a stripe on the negative side, usually with minus signs. An electrolytic capacitor which has not been clipped will have a longer wire on the positive pole.
A capacitor utilising a chemical paste electrolyte or process for forming the dielectric insulator.
A capacitor with a negative and a positive terminal that only passes alternating current.