Join 60,000+ competitive exam aspirants
Both the conduction and displacement current densities coexist in
Only conductors in air
Only dielectrics in air
Conductors placed in any dielectric medium
Never coexist
Conductors placed in any dielectric medium
Conduction current density (JcтАЛ=╧ГE) exists in materials with finite conductivity (conductors), while displacement current density (JdтАЛ=тИВtтИВDтАЛ=╧╡тИВtтИВEтАЛ) exists in any time-varying electric field, including dielectric media. In a conductor with finite conductivity immersed in a dielectric (or even in air), both components exist simultaneously whenever the applied electric field is time-varying.
Conduction current density (JcтАЛ=╧ГE) exists in materials with finite conductivity (conductors), while displacement current density (JdтАЛ=тИВtтИВDтАЛ=╧╡тИВtтИВEтАЛ) exists in any time-varying electric field, including dielectric media. In a conductor with finite conductivity immersed in a dielectric (or even in air), both components exist simultaneously whenever the applied electric field is time-varying.
JtotalтАЛ=╧ГE+╧╡тИВtтИВEтАЛ тАФ Generalized Maxwell-Ampere Law
JcтАЛ=╧ГE тАФ Conduction current density
JdтАЛ=тИВtтИВDтАЛ=╧╡тИВtтИВEтАЛ тАФ Displacement current density
According to the generalized Ampere's Circuital Law, the total current density is the sum of conduction and displacement current densities, J=╧ГE+╧╡тИВtтИВEтАЛ. In a conductor (╧Г>0), the first term represents the flow of free charges. If the field is time-varying, the second term (displacement current) arises due to the polarization of the medium or the change in electric flux density, causing both to coexist within the material.
Conduction current exists only in materials where free charge carriers are available (conductors).
Displacement current exists in any medium where the electric flux density changes with time.
A conductor itself acts as a dielectric medium with specific permittivity, supporting displacement current under AC excitation.
At high frequencies, displacement current often dominates in non-perfect conductors.
Explains wave propagation in lossy media.
Essential for understanding skin effect and high-frequency shielding.
Calculations become complex in dispersive media.
Difficult to isolate individual contributions in experimental setups.
Electromagnetic shielding analysis.
Transmission line modeling in lossy environments.
Design of high-frequency communication antennas.
In a perfect conductor, ╧ГтЖТтИЮ, so conduction current dominates completely.
In an ideal dielectric, ╧Г=0, so only displacement current exists.
Option A and B are incomplete because they specify 'Only', ignoring the possibility of both existing in broader materials.
C is correct тАФ Conductors placed in a dielectric medium support both the transport of charge carriers (conduction) and the time-variation of electric flux (displacement) simultaneously under time-varying fields.
Always remember that displacement current is proportional to the frequency of the field; for DC signals, displacement current is zero.