Nate Electrical Practice Exam

Which property is typically associated with capacitors in circuits?

1. Inductance

2. Resistance

3. Impedance

4. Voltage drop

The correct answer is: Impedance

Capacitors are fundamental components in electrical circuits, and they are mainly characterized by their ability to store and release electrical energy. One property that is particularly associated with capacitors is impedance. Impedance is the measure of how an electric circuit opposes the flow of alternating current (AC), and it encompasses not just resistance but also reactance, which includes the effects of capacitors and inductors. In a capacitive circuit, the impedance decreases as the frequency of the applied voltage increases. This means that capacitors allow more current to flow through them at higher frequencies. This property differentiates capacitors from resistive elements, where the opposition to current flow remains constant regardless of frequency. The other properties listed—inductance, resistance, and voltage drop—while relevant in various contexts, do not specifically define the behavior of capacitors in the same way that impedance does. Inductance pertains to inductors, resistance refers to the opposition to current flow in general, and voltage drop is a consequence of resistance and impedance but does not capture the inherent reactive characteristics of capacitors.