Shown on this slide is a picture of a Water Decoupling system in Taipei. This water distribution system provides a good analogy to the function of decoupling capacitors on a circuit board. In the photo one can see the many tanks that provide the water necessary for showers, toilets and sinks. They provide the instantaneous water (or bursts of energy) when a faucet is opened. The central water supply (or storage device) replenishes the tanks when they get low. These tanks act as a decoupling of the water line from the central supply. The electrical energy system is very similar. Power to the system is provided by a generation plant which provides the energy to the electrical outlet. Most systems will have a power supply which converts that energy into lower voltages for use on the circuit boards. The circuit boards will be used to distribute the power to the semiconductor components on the board. Alongside of these semiconductors, are decoupling capacitors. Note that decoupling capacitors are used throughout the overall system with larger decoupling capacitors used in the power supply; smaller ones on the input of the circuit board, and even smaller ones next to the semiconductor components. Decoupling capacitors supply the instantaneous energy needed throughout the entire electronic system.