ARRL Technician Practice Exam

What type of electrical component consists of two or more conductive surfaces separated by an insulator?

1. Resistor

2. Capacitor

3. Inductor

4. Transformer

The correct answer is: Capacitor

The correct answer is a capacitor. A capacitor is an electrical component that stores electrical energy in an electric field, created by the separation of two conductive plates or surfaces that are insulated from each other by a dielectric material (the insulator). When voltage is applied across the plates, an electric charge builds up, allowing the capacitor to store energy. Capacitors are widely used in various electronic circuits, including filters, timers, and energy storage applications, due to their ability to charge and discharge quickly. Resistors, on the other hand, are components that resist the flow of electric current, converting electrical energy into heat without storing energy. Inductors store energy in a magnetic field when electrical current passes through them and are typically used in applications involving alternating current. Transformers are devices that transfer electrical energy between two or more circuits through electromagnetic induction and do not store energy in the way that capacitors do.