What happens to the voltage across an inductor when a DC voltage is first applied to a circuit?

When a direct current (DC) voltage is first applied to a circuit containing an inductor, the inductor initially opposes changes in current due to its property of self-inductance. This behavior is described by Lenz's Law, which states that the induced electromotive force (EMF) will act in opposition to the change in current. As a result, at the moment the DC voltage is applied, the inductor does not immediately allow current to reach its maximum level.

Instead, the inductor creates a back EMF that is equal and opposite to the applied voltage, leading to an initial condition where no current flows through the inductor. As time progresses, the current through the inductor begins to increase gradually, and the voltage across the inductor decreases until it becomes negligible once a steady-state condition is reached. Therefore, the immediate effect is the absence of significant voltage across the inductor at the moment the DC voltage is applied.

This behavior contrasts with alternatives where maximum voltage could be experienced or where voltage oscillates, both of which do not accurately reflect the inductive response to a sudden application of DC voltage. The gradual increase in voltage is also not the immediate effect; instead, it's a subsequent result of the changing current