What is a decoupling capacitor and how do I know if I need one?
Smoothing happens for both large and small capacitors. It really ends up being a discussion of semantics, which for the uninitiated may create even more confusion. However, p. 2 from the analog app note sums it up in a nice manner: A large electrolytic capacitor (typically 10 µF – 100 µF) no more than 2 in. away from the chip. ...