Question

How does the current in a capacitor connected to an AC source compare in phase with the voltage?

Options

• The current and voltage have the same phase.

• The current is ahead of the voltage by \[2\pi\].

• The current is ahead of the voltage by \[\pi/2\].

• The voltage is ahead of the current by \[\pi/2\].

Answer 1

The voltage varies as \[\sin\omega t\], while the current varies as \[\sin(\omega t+\pi/2)\]. The positive phase shift means the current is ahead by \[\pi/2\].