Capacitor

Polaraized capacotors typically have very low reverse breakdown voltage. If they are reverse biased they will allow too much current to flow, the heat up and typically leak or pop depending on the capacitor type, size and current flow. Some capacitors will not suffer permanent damage if the current is limited to a very low value. Non-polarized capacitors can be biased in either polarity without being damaged.

too much heat/energy to be handled, the same theory as a bomb.

a simple search would have found this

Reverse Voltage care:

Electrolytic capacitors generally have a positive and a negative terminal. As we said earlier, the plates (foil) of the capacitor are anodized with a DC current. This anodizing process sets up the polarity of the plate material (it determines which side of the plate is positive and which is negative). We also said that part of the electrolyte was to help heal a damaged plate. Since it has the properties to heal a damaged plate, it has the ability to re-anodize the plate. Since anodizing process can be reversed, the electrolyte has the ability to remove the oxide coating from the foil. This would happen if the capacitor was connected with reverse polarity. Since the electrolyte can conduct electricity, if the aluminum oxide layer is removed, the capacitor would readily pass direct current from one plate to the other (it would basically be a short circuit from one plate to the other). This would, of course, render the cap useless.

An electrolytic capacitor incorrectly biased goes very quickly, because it is not designed to be used that way. There is a significant risk of personal injury (been there, got the T-shirt, etc.) so DON'T DO IT!

Anybody wanna buy some capacitors? Just fallen off the back of a Space Shuttle....<Cough, splutter>

A polarized capacitor is a chemical junction with high electrical resistance to one direction and low resistance to the other. same as a semi-conductor. when electrons flow from low to high, current is low, and vise versa, current is high when flows from high to low.

So, when current flow through low resistance Power dissipation is high. You can now make your own conclusions.

Wangito.

So, in effect, we could essentially use an unpolarized capacitor along with a diode in series. IOW we just combine the two, right?

JohnJohn,

Consider the level of the answer in accordance with the level of the question...

I probably should have added that we deal with electrolytics, and DC only...

Wangito.

That (#8) was a BIG FAT tongue-in cheek response wangito.

Er no!