In an AC circuit, what generally occurs concerning current and voltage due to inductance?

In an AC circuit where inductance is present, the relationship between current and voltage is characterized by the fact that the current lags behind the voltage. This lag occurs because inductors resist changes in current due to their stored energy in the magnetic field when current flows through them.

When voltage is applied across an inductor, it takes a moment for the current to reach its maximum value because the inductor must first build up its magnetic field. During this buildup, the voltage reaches its peak before the current does, resulting in a time difference or phase shift between the two. This phase shift is critical for understanding how alternating current behaves in circuits that include inductors.

In other contexts, such as purely resistive circuits, current and voltage would be in phase, which means they reach their peaks and cross zero at the same time. However, the presence of inductance alters this behavior significantly, leading to the conclusion that in an inductive AC circuit, current lags voltage.