What describes the process where a charged capacitor and inductor exchange energy resulting in oscillations?

What describes the process where a charged capacitor and inductor exchange energy resulting in oscillations?

• A. Ohm's law
• B. LC oscillation
• C. Kirchhoff's current law
• D. Mutual induction

Answer: (B)

Energy shuttling between a capacitor and an inductor is what creates the oscillation. In an LC circuit, the capacitor stores energy in its electric field while the inductor stores energy in its magnetic field. When the loop is closed, the capacitor’s voltage drives current through the inductor, transferring energy into the magnetic field and lowering the capacitor’s voltage. As the magnetic energy builds, it pushes current back toward the capacitor, charging it with opposite polarity and continuing the cycle. This back-and-forth exchange yields a sinusoidal oscillation at a natural frequency ω = 1/√(LC) (or f = 1/(2π√(LC))). In a real circuit, some resistance causes damping, so the oscillations gradually fade. This phenomenon is the LC oscillation. Ohm’s law describes V = IR for resistors, Kirchhoff’s current law is about current balance at a junction, and mutual induction involves coupling between separate coils—none describe the energy swap inside a single capacitor–inductor loop as clearly as LC oscillation.

Energy shuttling between a capacitor and an inductor is what creates the oscillation. In an LC circuit, the capacitor stores energy in its electric field while the inductor stores energy in its magnetic field. When the loop is closed, the capacitor’s voltage drives current through the inductor, transferring energy into the magnetic field and lowering the capacitor’s voltage. As the magnetic energy builds, it pushes current back toward the capacitor, charging it with opposite polarity and continuing the cycle. This back-and-forth exchange yields a sinusoidal oscillation at a natural frequency ω = 1/√(LC) (or f = 1/(2π√(LC))). In a real circuit, some resistance causes damping, so the oscillations gradually fade. This phenomenon is the LC oscillation. Ohm’s law describes V = IR for resistors, Kirchhoff’s current law is about current balance at a junction, and mutual induction involves coupling between separate coils—none describe the energy swap inside a single capacitor–inductor loop as clearly as LC oscillation.