Final answer:
In an inductor, the current typically lags behind the voltage by π/2 radians (90°), indicating a quarter-cycle phase difference where voltage leads current.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing the relationship between current and voltage in inductors, the current typically lags behind the voltage. In inductors, which are components in electrical circuits that store energy in a magnetic field, there is opposition to changes in the current. This happens because a changing current induces a back electromotive force (emf), which follows the formula V = −L(dI/dt), where L represents the inductance. This back emf is considered an effective resistance of the inductor to alternating current (AC).
Due to this opposition, there is a phase difference between the current through and the voltage across the inductor. Specifically, the current lags the voltage by π/2 radians (pi over 2 radians), or a quarter of a cycle. This phenomenon is represented in the electrical engineering domain by a phasor diagram where the current phasor is shown lagging behind the voltage phasor by 90°, which corresponds to the quarter-cycle lag.
Therefore, in the context of an AC circuit with an inductor, the voltage leads the current by 90 degrees. This timing difference is an essential concept in AC circuit analysis and impacts the effective voltage and current relationship within such circuits.