The behavior of current in relation to voltage in a capacitive circuit is defined as:

In a capacitive circuit, the behavior of current relative to voltage is characterized by the phenomenon of current leading voltage. This occurs because, in a capacitor, the current is primarily responsible for charging and discharging the capacitor, which introduces a phase shift. When an alternating current (AC) voltage is applied, the capacitor stores energy as it charges and releases energy as it discharges.

As a result, the peak current occurs before the peak voltage in a capacitive circuit. This phase relationship is essential for understanding how capacitors behave in AC circuits and affects various parameters, such as impedance and resonance, which are crucial for applications in electrical engineering and electronics.

Other possible relationships mentioned do not accurately describe the behavior of current in a capacitive environment. For instance, current lagging voltage would pertain to an inductive circuit, where the voltage leads the current instead. In-phase current and voltage relationships typically describe resistive circuits, and voltage leading current can refer to conditions in different types of circuits, but not in the context of a capacitor.