Question: If a capacitor is connected to an AC source, what happens to the current through the capacitor?
Options:
It is constant
It leads the voltage
It lags the voltage
It is zero
Correct Answer: It leads the voltage
Solution:
In an AC circuit, the current through a capacitor leads the voltage by 90 degrees.
If a capacitor is connected to an AC source, what happens to the current through
Practice Questions
Q1
If a capacitor is connected to an AC source, what happens to the current through the capacitor?
It is constant
It leads the voltage
It lags the voltage
It is zero
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If a capacitor is connected to an AC source, what happens to the current through the capacitor?
Step 1: Understand what a capacitor is. A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy.
Step 2: Know what AC (Alternating Current) means. AC is a type of electrical current that changes direction periodically.
Step 3: When a capacitor is connected to an AC source, the voltage across the capacitor changes over time.
Step 4: The current through the capacitor does not change at the same time as the voltage. Instead, it changes earlier.
Step 5: This means that the current 'leads' the voltage. Specifically, the current reaches its maximum value 90 degrees (or a quarter of a cycle) before the voltage does.
Step 6: This relationship is important in AC circuits and is a key characteristic of how capacitors behave.
Capacitive Reactance – In an AC circuit, capacitors oppose changes in voltage, causing the current to lead the voltage by 90 degrees.
Phase Relationship – Understanding the phase difference between current and voltage in capacitive circuits is crucial for analyzing AC behavior.
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