What occurs when a voltage is initially applied to a capacitor?

When a voltage is initially applied to a capacitor, the current flow is at its maximum. At this moment, the capacitor behaves like a short circuit, allowing a surge of current as it begins to charge. This is because the capacitor has not yet accumulated charge, and as a result, there is a voltage difference across its plates.

As the capacitor starts to charge, the voltage across its plates increases, which causes the current to decrease gradually. This charging process continues until the voltage across the capacitor equals the applied voltage, at which point the current flow effectively stops, as the capacitor is fully charged. The behavior of the current in a charging capacitor is characterized by an exponential decay, beginning with a high initial current that diminishes over time as the capacitor reaches its maximum charge capacity.

This concept is fundamental in understanding how capacitors function in electronic circuits, particularly in timing, filtering, and energy storage applications. The other options do not accurately describe the behavior of a capacitor during the initial application of voltage, as none of them capture the essence of how current behaves when charging occurs.