MCQEasyJEE 2025Capacitors & Dielectrics

JEE Physics 2025 Question with Solution

Identify the valid statements relevant to the given circuit at the instant when the key is closed.

A series circuit containing an air capacitor with plates A and B on the left, a resistor R on the top branch, an open key switch, and a 5 V battery on the right.

AA : There will be no current through resistor RR.

BB : There will be maximum current in the connecting wires.

CC : Potential difference between the capacitor plates AA and BB is minimum.

DD : Charge on the capacitor plates is minimum.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

  • A

    C,DC, D only

  • B

    B,C,DB, C, D only

  • C

    A,CA, C only

  • D

    A,B,DA, B, D only

Answer

Correct answer:B

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: A circuit contains a resistor RR, an air capacitor with plates AA and BB, a key, and a 5V5 \, \text{V} battery. We must identify the valid statements at the instant the key is closed.

Find: Which of the statements A,B,C,DA, B, C, D are correct at the initial instant.

At the instant the key is closed, the capacitor is initially uncharged, so it behaves like a short circuit. Therefore, the potential difference across the capacitor is zero initially, and the charging current is maximum.

Now analyze each statement:

  1. Statement A: "There will be no current through resistor RR" is incorrect. At the initial instant, current is maximum in the circuit, so current does pass through RR.
  2. Statement B: "There will be maximum current in the connecting wires" is correct.
  3. Statement C: "Potential difference between the capacitor plates AA and BB is minimum" is correct because initially
VC=0V_C = 0

which is the minimum value. 4. Statement D: "Charge on the capacitor plates is minimum" is correct because initially

Q=0Q = 0

which is the minimum charge.

Therefore, the correct combination is B,C,DB, C, D only. Hence, the correct option is B.

Initial Capacitor Behaviour

Given: The key is closed at t=0t = 0 in a resistor-capacitor circuit connected to a 5V5 \, \text{V} battery.

Find: The valid statements about current, potential difference, and charge at that instant.

A capacitor cannot acquire charge instantaneously. So at the very first instant,

Q=0Q = 0

and hence

VC=QC=0V_C = \frac{Q}{C} = 0

Therefore the capacitor acts like a conducting path initially.

Because the capacitor behaves like a short circuit at that instant, the current in the circuit is maximum. This means the claim of no current through resistor RR is false, while the claim of maximum current in the connecting wires is true.

Also, since both the charge and capacitor voltage start from zero, the potential difference across plates AA and BB is minimum and the charge on the plates is minimum at that instant.

Thus, statements B, C, and D are valid. The correct option is B.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming that a capacitor blocks current immediately after the key is closed is incorrect. A capacitor blocks steady current after a long time, but at the initial instant it behaves like a short circuit. Use the initial condition Q=0Q=0 and hence VC=0V_C=0.

  • Thinking that no current through resistor RR means no current anywhere in the circuit is wrong. At the instant of closing, the charging current passes through the resistor as well as the connecting wires. Distinguish between the initial and final states of an RC circuit.

  • Confusing minimum potential difference or charge with a nonzero small value is incorrect here. Since the capacitor is initially uncharged, both are exactly zero at that instant. Start with Q=0Q=0 and then compute VC=Q/CV_C=Q/C.

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