Which statement is true about inductive loads when connected to a supply?

• A. The current remains in phase with voltage
• B. The current immediately drops to zero
• C. The current briefly spikes above the steady-state value
• D. The current becomes negative

Answer: (C)

Inductive loads resist changes in current, so the current in an inductive circuit lags the applied voltage in steady operation. When you first connect such a load to a supply, the circuit experiences a transient as the magnetic field builds up. The current is the sum of the steady-state response and this natural transient; this can cause the instantaneous current to briefly exceed the eventual steady-state value before the energy in the inductor is dissipated by the circuit’s resistance. That brief overshoot is why the statement about the current briefly spiking above the steady-state value is true.

In contrast, inductors don’t keep the current in constant phase with the voltage, so the first option is incorrect. The current doesn’t instantly drop to zero upon connection; it ramps up from whatever initial condition applies, so the second option isn’t generally correct. While the current can be negative at some points in the cycle, that’s just part of the alternating waveform and not a defining behavior of inductive loads, so the last option isn’t the core truth.