Is a capacitor considered dead immediately after it is disconnected from the line?

• A. Sometimes
• B. Yes
• C. Not sure
• D. No

Answer: (D)

Capacitors store energy in the electric field between their plates. When you disconnect a capacitor from the line, that stored energy doesn't disappear instantly; there’s no automatic path for the charge to leave. Without a discharge path, the capacitor remains charged and can deliver a shock if touched. The voltage across it will slowly decay only if there’s a leakage path or a deliberate discharge through a resistor or discharge tool, with the rate set by the RC time constant of the circuit. So, it is not considered dead right after being disconnected—you must discharge it safely and verify it’s at zero volts before handling.