563 capacitor value
56 nF
56,000 pF · 56 nF · 0.056 µF
| Marked code | 563 |
| Picofarads | 56,000 pF |
| Nanofarads | 56 nF |
| Microfarads | 0.056 µF |
| Farads | 5.60e-8 F |
Reading the code
The three digits are not a part number. The first two are the value in picofarads and the third says what to do with them:
56 × 103 = 56,000 pF
So 563 is 56 followed by 3 zeros: 56,000 pF. The code is always in picofarads even when the part is sold in microfarads, which is the whole difficulty with it — a capacitor marked 563 is stocked as 0.056 µF and the two numbers look nothing alike.
What 56 nF does at frequency
A capacitor's opposition to a signal is its reactance, 1 ÷ (2πfC), and it falls as the frequency rises. Over the range of frequencies a circuit can put across it, a 56 nF part covers several orders of magnitude:
| Frequency | Reactance |
|---|---|
| 50 Hz — mains | 56.84 kΩ |
| 1 kHz — audio | 2.84 kΩ |
| 100 kHz — switching | 28.42 Ω |
| 10 MHz — RF | 284.2 mΩ |
Ten times the frequency is a tenth of the reactance, every time — which is why choosing a decoupling capacitor is really choosing the frequency band you want it to be low-impedance across, and why boards carry several sizes in parallel rather than one large one.
The letter after the number
A code like 563K carries a tolerance letter. It is not part of the value:
| Letter | Tolerance | 56 nF means |
|---|---|---|
563J | ±5% | 53.2 nF to 58.8 nF |
563K | ±10% | 50.4 nF to 61.6 nF |
563M | ±20% | 44.8 nF to 67.2 nF |
563Z | +80% / −20% | 44.8 nF to 100.8 nF |
A Z is worth knowing about. +80%/−20% is a real tolerance on cheap high-permittivity ceramics, and it means a part marked 563Z can legitimately be anything from 44.8 nF to 100.8 nF. Those go in decoupling positions where only the rough size matters, never in a timing or filter position.
Where 56 nF turns up
Tens of nanofarads is coupling between audio stages and the smaller decoupling capacitors on a logic board. A 10 nF part alongside a 100 nF one is a common pairing, the smaller of the two handling the frequencies the larger one is too slow for.
Frequently asked questions
What is the value of a 563 capacitor?
56 nF — 56,000 pF · 56 nF · 0.056 µF. The first two digits are the value in picofarads and the third is how many zeros follow, so 563 is 56 followed by 3 zeros = 56,000 pF.
What is a 563 capacitor in µF?
0.056 µF. Going from picofarads to microfarads is six decimal places, which is where most of the confusion with these codes comes from — 56,000 pF, 56 nF and 0.056 µF are the same capacitor written three ways.
What does the letter after 563 mean?
Tolerance. 563K is ±10%, 563J is ±5% and 563M is ±20% — so a 563K is anywhere from 50.4 nF to 61.6 nF and still in specification. A Z means +80%/−20%, which is not a mistake: some ceramic dielectrics really are that loose.
What is the impedance of a 563 capacitor at 1 kHz?
2.84 kΩ. Reactance is 1 ÷ (2πfC), so it falls as the frequency rises: the same part is 28.42 Ω at 100 kHz and 284.2 mΩ at 10 MHz.
Nearby codes
- 683 capacitor — 68 nF
- 823 capacitor — 82 nF
- 104 capacitor — 100 nF
- 124 capacitor — 120 nF
- 154 capacitor — 150 nF
- 184 capacitor — 180 nF
- 224 capacitor — 220 nF
- 274 capacitor — 270 nF
- 334 capacitor — 330 nF
- 394 capacitor — 390 nF