Question

Do capacitors and inductors work in DC?

Answer 1

Yes, capacitors and inductors do work in DC, but their behavior is different from how they work in AC circuits.

### Capacitors in DC Circuits:
- **Initial Behavior:** When a DC voltage is applied to a capacitor, the capacitor starts charging up. The current flows into the capacitor and increases its voltage over time.
- **After a While:** Once the capacitor is fully charged (after a short time), the current flow stops, and the capacitor behaves like an open circuit (no current flows through it). The voltage across the capacitor stays constant after it is fully charged.

### Inductors in DC Circuits:
- **Initial Behavior:** When DC is first applied, an inductor resists changes in current. This is because an inductor generates a magnetic field when current flows through it, and it takes time for this magnetic field to build up.
- **After a While:** Once the magnetic field stabilizes, the inductor no longer resists the DC current. It essentially behaves like a short circuit, allowing the current to flow freely through it, assuming there's no change in current.

### In Summary:
- **Capacitors** eventually block DC after charging up.
- **Inductors** resist the change in current when DC is first applied but allow DC to pass through once the current stabilizes.