How Does Current Initially Flow in a Circuit with a Capacitor?

[sunilmaurya]

Hey...i got a confusion @ how a circuit allows the current to flow initially when voltage source is applied across the capacitor.??
U know as per the concept the current flow in the circuit only if the circuit completes...? isn't it like that the dielectric between the plates of the capacitor will not allow the electron to flow through it...??
so how the electrons will get the complete path to flow...?

Plz answer it...pleasezzz.

 

[n.karthick]

As you mentioned the current does not flow inside the dielectric of capacitor. Only the charges (of opposite sign) move outwards from capacitor plates to the voltage source which gives the illusion that circuit is completed.

 

[cragar]

The electric field from the battery cause electrons to build up on one of the plates . And as charge builds up on one of the plates this E field pushes charge away from the other plate . This all happens at once . So its the E field that does it .

 

[Pranav Jha]

exactly the confusion i had to struggle with when i started studying about capacitors (2 months back). No teacher seems to care about answering this question. However, i hope this page clears your confusion my friend!
I think that when we bring two ends of a copper wire together with an infinitesimal distance separating them, the two ends can act as the plates of a capacitor!
http://amasci.com/emotor/cap1.html