Which type of circuit component would be used to temporarily store electrical energy?

A capacitor is the correct choice for temporarily storing electrical energy because its primary function is to hold charge in an electric field. When a voltage is applied across a capacitor, it accumulates electric charge, and this stored energy can be released back into the circuit when needed. This ability to store and release energy makes capacitors essential in various applications, such as filtering, timing circuits, and energy smoothing in power supplies.

While resistors, inductors, and transistors are all critical components in electronic circuits, they do not serve the same function as capacitors in terms of energy storage. A resistor dissipates energy in the form of heat and does not store it. An inductor can store energy in a magnetic field when current flows through it, but its mechanism and behavior differ from that of a capacitor. A transistor acts as a switch or amplifier in circuits and does not store energy in the way that capacitors do. Thus, the role of the capacitor as a temporary energy storage device is distinct and vital in electronic applications.