What component is responsible for storing energy in a capacitor?

A capacitor stores energy in the form of an electric field. When a capacitor is charged, it accumulates electric charge on its plates, which creates an electric field between those plates. This electric field is the mechanism through which the capacitor retains energy. The amount of energy stored is proportional to the capacitance and the voltage applied across the capacitor, expressed by the formula:

[ \text{Energy} (E) = \frac{1}{2} C V^2 ]

where ( E ) is the energy stored, ( C ) is the capacitance, and ( V ) is the voltage across the capacitor.

The other options do not directly relate to how a capacitor operates. A magnetic field is associated with inductors, while electrical resistance pertains to materials that impede current flow, and current flow describes the movement of charge, not the storage of energy itself. Hence, the component responsible for storing energy in a capacitor is indeed the electric field created between its plates when voltage is applied.