In a DC circuit, a capacitor behaves in a specific manner with respect to the flow of current. Initially, when a voltage is applied across the capacitor, the capacitor begins to charge. As it charges, current flows through the circuit. This flow of current continues until the charge on the capacitor reaches a certain state.
Here are the steps to understand the behavior:
1. Initial Stage (Charging Begins):
- When the capacitor is uncharged and a voltage is applied, there is an initial surge of current as the capacitor starts to accumulate charge on its plates.
2. Charging Process:
- During this phase, the voltage across the capacitor increases as more charge accumulates. The current in the circuit starts to decrease as the capacitor charges up.
3. Final Stage (Fully Charged Capacitor):
- Once the charge on the capacitor becomes equal to the applied voltage, the capacitor is fully charged.
- At this point, the current flow through the circuit stops, as there is no potential difference to drive the current through the capacitor.
- The capacitor effectively acts as an open circuit once it is fully charged.
Given these points, the correct statement is:
- A capacitor allows the current to flow only until the charge on the capacitor is equal to the applied voltage.
So, the correct answer is:
b. equal to the applied voltage
