A picofarad (pF) is a unit of capacitance in the metric system, equal to one trillionth of a farad (1 pF = 10^-12 F). Capacitance measures a component's ability to store electrical charge. Picofarads are commonly used to describe the capacitance of small electronic components, such as capacitors, which are essential in circuits for filtering, timing, and energy storage. In practical terms, picofarads are often encountered in high-frequency applications, such as radio frequency (RF) circuits and telecommunications. Components with capacitance values in the picofarad range help ensure efficient signal transmission and minimize interference, making them crucial in devices like smartphones and computers.