What is defined as the time for voltage or current to change by 63% in a capacitor or inductor?

The time for voltage or current to change by 63% in a capacitor or inductor is referred to as the time constant. This term specifically pertains to how quickly energy can be stored or released by the component in question, providing crucial insight into its behavior in an electrical circuit.

For a capacitor in an RC (resistor-capacitor) circuit, the time constant (denoted as τ) is calculated as the product of the resistance (R) and capacitance (C) values. This time constant indicates how long it takes for the voltage across the capacitor to rise to approximately 63% of its maximum value after a step change in voltage. Similarly, for an inductor in an RL (resistor-inductor) circuit, the time constant reflects the time it takes for the current to reach about 63% of its final value.

In relation to other terms, while resistance and capacitance are fundamental properties that affect the time constant, they do not define the change behavior themselves. Transfer time typically refers to the duration for data or signals to pass from one point to another, which isn’t specific to the changing behavior of voltage or current in capacitors or inductors. Thus, time constant accurately encapsulates the concept of how quickly these