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What is the initial battery current immediately after the switch closes

User JSuar
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2 Answers

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Final answer:

The initial current through a circuit right after the switch is closed is determined by Ohm's Law and equals the battery voltage divided by the resistance. As the capacitor charges, this current decreases to zero, and the voltage across the capacitor equals the battery voltage at a steady state.

Step-by-step explanation:

The initial current immediately after the switch is closed in a circuit consisting of a battery, resistor, and an uncharged capacitor is driven by the full voltage of the battery. At time t=0 s, the capacitor behaves like a short circuit, meaning the initial current (I) is given by Ohm's Law, I=V/R, where V is the battery voltage and R is the resistance in the circuit. However, as the capacitor begins to charge, the current will decrease until it eventually reaches zero in the steady state when the capacitor is fully charged, and no current flows through it. The voltage across the capacitor in this steady state will be equal to the battery voltage, as no current means there is no voltage drop across the resistor.

User Halfwarr
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5 votes

Final answer:

The initial battery current is the surge of current that flows when the switch is closed in an electric circuit.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the switch is closed in an electric circuit, there is an initial surge of current from the battery. This surge is known as the initial battery current.

The value of the initial battery current can depend on various factors, such as the resistance in the circuit and the voltage of the battery.

To determine the exact value of the initial battery current, we would need more information about the specific circuit setup, including the values of the resistor and battery voltage.

User Syntax Rommel
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