What principle does a capacitor operate on?

A capacitor operates on the principle of energy storage in electric fields. When a voltage is applied across the plates of a capacitor, an electric field is created between them. This electric field stores energy in the form of electrical potential energy, which can later be released when the capacitor is connected to a circuit. The amount of energy stored is proportional to the capacitance of the capacitor and the voltage applied, following the formula ( \text{Energy} = \frac{1}{2} C V^2 ), where ( C ) is the capacitance and ( V ) is the voltage.

This principle is critical in many electronic applications, such as filtering signals, providing power during momentary interruptions, and smoothing out variations in power supply. Other principles, like electromagnetic induction, resistance to current flow, and heat dissipation, do not pertain to the way capacitors function. A capacitor does not inherently resist current flow like resistors do, nor does it primarily operate on the principles of heat generation or electromagnetic effects.