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title: "An ideal LC circuit consists of an inductor with self-inductance \\(L\\) connected across an initially charged capacitor of capacitance \\(C\\). The circuit undergoes undamped electromagnetic oscillations with angular frequency \\(\\omega = \\dfrac{1}{\\sqrt{LC}}\\). At the instant the electric current flowing through the inductor reaches its maximum magnitude, the charge on the capacitor is zero and the potential difference across the inductor is zero. Which of the following best explains why the potential difference across the inductor is zero at this instant?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/121290/"
date_modified: "2026-08-23T04:59:34+00:00"
---

# An ideal LC circuit consists of an inductor with self-inductance \(L\) connected across an initially charged capacitor of capacitance \(C\). The circuit undergoes undamped electromagnetic oscillations with angular frequency \(\omega = \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{LC}}\). At the instant the electric current flowing through the inductor reaches its maximum magnitude, the charge on the capacitor is zero and the potential difference across the inductor is zero. Which of the following best explains why the potential difference across the inductor is zero at this instant?

An ideal LC circuit consists of an inductor with self-inductance \(L\) connected across an initially charged capacitor of capacitance \(C\). The circuit undergoes undamped electromagnetic oscillations with angular frequency \(\omega = \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{LC}}\). At the instant the electric current flowing through the inductor reaches its maximum magnitude, the charge on the capacitor is zero and the potential difference across the inductor is zero. Which of the following best explains why the potential difference across the inductor is zero at this instant?

- **A.** An ideal inductor behaves as a zero-resistance conductor whose potential drop is governed by Ohm's law; therefore, when maximum current flows through without encountering electrical resistance, no potential difference can develop across its terminals.
- **B.** The potential difference across an inductor is determined by the time rate of change of the current; because the current is at a local extremum, its instantaneous time derivative is zero, resulting in zero induced electromotive force.
- **C.** The magnetic flux through the inductor reaches its maximum magnitude at this instant, which fully aligns the internal magnetic dipoles and prevents any further electromagnetic induction from generating a potential difference across the coil.
- **D.** The electrostatic energy stored in the capacitor has been completely converted into magnetic energy, so the absence of separated charge anywhere in the circuit prevents an electric field and thus a potential difference from existing across any circuit element.

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