Question

A capacitor cannot be used as a battery because

• A. It cannot store a large amount of charge
• B. It produces too much heat
• C. It gets discharged very rapidly
• D. It is very costly as compared to a battery

Answer 1

The correct option is C It gets discharged very rapidly

A battery is similar to a tap providing a stream of water at a near constant rate for a prolonged period of time whereas a capacitor is like a bucket full of water. Capacitors release energy in a burst, providing a large amount of energy in a short duration of time, thus discharging very rapidly.

Key concept: Electrostatic energy stored in a capacitor is released promptly in a short interval of time.