Which component is used to store electrical energy?

The component that is used to store electrical energy is the capacitor. Capacitors store electrical charge temporarily in an electric field created between two conductive plates separated by an insulating material, known as a dielectric. When a voltage is applied across the capacitor, it accumulates charge until it reaches a maximum value, and this stored energy can be released when the circuit requires it.

Capacitors are widely used in various electronic applications, such as smoothing out voltage fluctuations, filtering signals, and timing applications. Their ability to hold and discharge energy makes them essential in power management systems.

While other components like inductors can also store energy, they do so in a magnetic field rather than an electric field. Resistors, on the other hand, do not store energy; they dissipate it as heat. Transistors act as switches or amplifiers but do not serve as energy storage devices. Thus, the role of a capacitor in energy storage distinguishes it as the correct answer in this context.