[Europan Ocean (OP)]

Good day.
Capacitors in series gain distance between plates and lose capacitance and so is the calculation, C total= 1/C1+ 1/C2?
And in parallel increase plate area so, C total= C1 + C2?

In micro farads.

[Colin2B]

Good day.
Capacitors in series gain distance between plates and lose capacitance and so is the calculation, C total= 1/C1+ 1/C2?
And in parallel increase plate area so, C total= C1 + C2?

In micro farads.

Almost right.
For series 1/C_Total=1/C₁+1/C₂
Parallel is correct

This works for any units of Farads, milli, micro, pico, just keep them all the same.

Just a note, for series capacitors it is not really correct to say the plates gain distance and lose capacitance, it is the charge on the plates and the potential difference which are the significant factor.
I'll leave you to work that through.

[syhprum]

Am I right in assuming that if I have a charged plate capacitor containing e=cv^2/2 and pull the plates apart v increases to reflect the energy used to pull the plates apart ?

[chiralSPO]

Yes, as long as there is no circuit for the charge to go through (isolated capacitor)

I believe there are some railguns (or Gauss cannons) that make use of this effect by using an explosive charge to propel the charged plates apart at the right before the capacitor is discharged into the weapon...

[Bored chemist]

That is how one of these works
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrophorus

[Colin2B]

Am I right in assuming that if I have a charged plate capacitor containing e=cv^2 and pull the plates apart v increases to reflect the energy used to pull the plates apart ?

I think this is what was confusing the OP, this is an effect seen in the charged plate experiment rather than an effect of connecting the capacitors in series. It might at first sight appear the plates have been separated by distance rather than by circuitry.

[Europan Ocean (OP)]

Thanks for that.

[alancalverd]

Am I right in assuming that if I have a charged plate capacitor containing e=cv^2 and pull the plates apart v increases to reflect the energy used to pull the plates apart ?

It's the principle behind the VandeGraaff generator, the Wimshurst machine, and (with a few complications) thunderstorms.