Various embodiments provide for determining a capacitance (or capacitor value) of a circuit, determining a resistance-capacitance time constant (or RC time constant) of a circuit, or both. The circuit can comprise an integrated circuit (IC), such as a circuit implemented on die. An IC of some embodiments generates a frequency of a dock wave signal (e.g., an output signal) such that the clock wave signal encodes an effective capacitance of the IC, a RC time constant of the IC, or both. A component external to the IC, such as a controller, can receive the clock wave signal and determine the effective capacitance of the IC, the RC time constant of the IC, or both based on the received clock wave signal.