Capacitance resists direct current at constant state

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Question: Capacitance resists direct current at constant state
Answer options:
- a. True
- b. False
- c. I can't say

Option a: True. The statement would be interpreted to mean that a capacitor inherently resists the flow of DC. In practical terms, a capacitor does oppose changes in voltage when it is charging, and in DC steady state its current becomes zero as it behaves like an open circuit. If read this way, one might argue that it resists DC while charging. However, this option is treated as incorrect according to the provided answer key, possibly because the phrase "resists DC at constant state" can be misread or oversimplified; the capacitor’s behavior is time-dependent (charging transient) and then statically blocks DC, rather than continuously exerting a resistive effect.

Option b: False. The correct interpretation hinges on how we phrase the capacitor’s behavior. In DC steady state, after charging, no current flows through the capacitor; the circuit looks like an open circuit. Some students might describe this as the capacitor "resisting" DC, but the more precise statement is that DC cannot pass through a fully charged capacitor, i.e., a capacitor blocks steady-state DC rather than resisting it as a resistive element would. Since the answer key marks this option as correct, the key is asserting that the given statement is not an accurate general description of capacitor behavior, especially if we interpret resistance in the sense of a resistive impedance rather than as a blocking/open-circuit condition.

Option c: I can't say. This option would be chosen if the question were ambiguous or if the reader lacked context about transient versus steady-state behavior. With capacitors, the answer is not truly indeterminate: the capacitor’s response is well-defined: it resists changes in voltage during charging, and DC does not pass through once charged. Thus, choosing I can't say would typically indicate uncertainty, which is not appropriate given standard circuit theory.

Summary of reasoning patterns: the statement mixes transient behavior (charging dynamics) with steady-state behavior (open circuit for DC). In proper DC analysis, a fully charged capacitor does not pass DC, which leads to a nuanced view that makes a blanket True claim problematic. The provided key designates False as the correct choice, aligning with the idea that the simple phrasing does not consistently describe the capacitor’s DC behavior across all states.

Capacitance resists direct current at constant state

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