If a capacitor is fully discharged and then connected to a voltage source, what
Practice Questions
Q1
If a capacitor is fully discharged and then connected to a voltage source, what is the initial current through the circuit?
Zero
Maximum
Depends on resistance
Infinite
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If a capacitor is fully discharged and then connected to a voltage source, what is the initial current through the circuit?
Step 1: Understand that a capacitor stores electrical energy.
Step 2: Recognize that a fully discharged capacitor has no stored energy.
Step 3: When connected to a voltage source, the capacitor begins to charge.
Step 4: The charging process creates a current in the circuit.
Step 5: At the moment the capacitor is connected, it behaves like a short circuit, allowing maximum current to flow.
Step 6: As the capacitor charges, the current decreases over time until it reaches zero when fully charged.
Capacitor Charging Behavior – When a capacitor is initially connected to a voltage source, it behaves like a short circuit, allowing maximum current to flow until it starts charging.