Why current leads in a capacitor?and voltage lead in an inductor?
The voltage across a capacitor is proportional to the charge it carries. Current must flow into the capacitor to increase the charge, and as a result, the voltage developed across it rises. Think of the capacitor like an empty bucket, with the level of water representing the voltage. You must add more water before the level (voltage) rises, and so the voltage lags behind the current, or the current leads the voltage. In simple terms, an inductor resists rapid change. You can apply a voltage across it instantly, but it takes time for the magnetic flux to increase, and as it grows, the inductor current rises exponentially from zero. In this instance, as it is the applied voltage which generates the increasing inductor current, the voltage is said to lead the current in an inductor. The finer details are omitted for simplicity; I hope this helps.
