How are capacitors different from batteries?

How are capacitors different from batteries?

• A. Capacitors cannot store energy.
• B. Batteries produce alternating current only.
• C. Capacitors cannot maintain voltage.
• D. Batteries have no resistance.

Answer: (C)

Capacitors store energy in an electric field and deliver it quickly, but their voltage falls as they discharge. Because the voltage cannot stay constant under load, a capacitor can’t maintain a steady output for a longer period. Batteries, by contrast, store energy chemically and can provide a more constant voltage as they discharge, though their voltage gradually drops over time. So the statement that capacitor voltage cannot be maintained captures the key difference in how they behave. The other points aren’t correct: capacitors do store energy; batteries don’t only produce alternating current (they’re usually direct current); and batteries do have internal resistance.

Capacitors store energy in an electric field and deliver it quickly, but their voltage falls as they discharge. Because the voltage cannot stay constant under load, a capacitor can’t maintain a steady output for a longer period. Batteries, by contrast, store energy chemically and can provide a more constant voltage as they discharge, though their voltage gradually drops over time. So the statement that capacitor voltage cannot be maintained captures the key difference in how they behave. The other points aren’t correct: capacitors do store energy; batteries don’t only produce alternating current (they’re usually direct current); and batteries do have internal resistance.