Which circuit element is characterized by a positive phase-angle difference?

The circuit element characterized by a positive phase-angle difference is the capacitor. In an electrical circuit, a capacitor has the unique property of causing the current to lead the voltage. This leads to a positive phase angle, which means that the current waveform reaches its peak before the voltage waveform does.

This behavior is fundamentally due to how capacitors store and release energy. When an AC voltage is applied to a capacitor, it charges and discharges in a manner that generates a current flow that is out of phase with the voltage. Specifically, the relationship can be described using the formula for capacitive reactance and phase angle, where the phase angle (φ) is +90 degrees in an ideal capacitor.

In contrast, resistors do not introduce any phase shift; the voltage and current are in phase, resulting in a phase angle of 0 degrees. Inductors, on the other hand, have the opposite characteristic: they cause the current to lag behind the voltage, resulting in a negative phase angle. Transformers can also introduce phase shifts, but that depends on how they are operating in the circuit, primarily having either leading or lagging current depending on the load conditions.

Therefore, the capacitor’s distinct behavior of allowing current to lead voltage confirms its