In an RCL circuit, what is the phase difference between voltage and current compared to?

In an RCL circuit, the phase difference between voltage and current is influenced by the relative values of resistance, capacitance, and inductance. When evaluating the overall phase difference, it's important to note that it is not fixed at 90 degrees but can vary based on the impedance of the circuit elements.

When dealing with capacitive reactance and inductive reactance, the phase difference can indeed be less than 90 degrees. This occurs when the circuit is not purely reactive, meaning that it contains resistive elements in addition to the reactance from both capacitors and inductors. The resistive component tends to bring the current and voltage closer in phase, resulting in a phase difference that is typically less than 90 degrees in most practical RCL circuits.

In scenarios where the inductive or capacitive reactance dominates, the phase difference may approach 90 degrees, but in real-world applications where resistance is present, it is common for the phase difference to be less than that value. Thus, stating that the phase difference is less than 90 degrees captures the behavior of a balanced RCL circuit under common conditions.