Question

A capacitor is fully charged and then connected in series to an inductor with zero resistance wires. This is an ideal L-C circuit that will oscillate the current direction. Explain HOW and WHY this circuit oscillates and discuss energy conservation in this oscillation behavior. Your response should be at least 3 paragraphs to show your mastery of the concepts.

Answer 1

As soon as the inductor is connected with the capacitor, a current starts flowing in the circuit. As the current through the inductor increases, the magnetic flux through the inductor also increases which in turn produces self-induced(Lenz' law) emf and after some time the capacitor gets fully discharged. At this point, the total energy is equal to the energy stored in the inductor(since there is zero resistance no energy is lost in the process, It merely gets transformed from purely electric energy to magnetic energy.). Now the inductor acts a battery with emf equals to the initial potential difference across the capacitor. A current starts flowing in the circuit which in turn charges the capacitor unless it gets fully charged again. Now the total energy is purely capacitive(electric energy). After this point, the whole process repeats again and goes on.