Red Seal Electrician Practice
AC theoryQuestion 961 of 1506

A capacitor is connected to AC. What does it do with the power it takes in?

  1. It converts all of it into heat in the dielectric
  2. It converts half to heat and returns the other half
  3. It stores it, then returns it
  4. It sends all of it back to the neutral wire
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Correct answer: It stores it, then returns it

The 90-degree shift makes the power wave swing equally positive and negative, so an ideal capacitor only absorbs and releases power.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits II: AC (Kuphaldt), 4.2: AC Capacitor Circuits

Practice ac theory

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026