If a charged capacitor is removed from a circuit, the capacitor:

If a charged capacitor is removed from a circuit, the capacitor:

• A. Retains Its Charge.
• B. Loses Some of Its Charge.
• C. Loses Most of Its Charge.
• D. Loses All of Its Charge.

Answer: (A)

Isolating a charged capacitor leaves the stored charge on its plates with nowhere for current to flow. Since there’s no closed path for electrons, the amount of charge cannot leave the capacitor, so the voltage across it and the stored energy remain as they were at the moment it was removed. In an ideal capacitor this means the charge is retained indefinitely. In real components there is some small leakage through the dielectric or along surfaces, so it may slowly discharge over time, but immediately after removal it retains its charge.

Isolating a charged capacitor leaves the stored charge on its plates with nowhere for current to flow. Since there’s no closed path for electrons, the amount of charge cannot leave the capacitor, so the voltage across it and the stored energy remain as they were at the moment it was removed. In an ideal capacitor this means the charge is retained indefinitely. In real components there is some small leakage through the dielectric or along surfaces, so it may slowly discharge over time, but immediately after removal it retains its charge.