Which component primarily stores electrical energy in an electric field?

The component that primarily stores electrical energy in an electric field is the capacitor. Capacitors are designed to accumulate charge and hold it, which creates an electric field between their plates. When a voltage is applied across the terminals of a capacitor, an electric field forms, storing energy in the form of electrostatic charge.

The unique ability of capacitors to quickly absorb and release electrical energy makes them invaluable in various applications, such as smoothing out voltage fluctuations in power supplies, filtering signals, and even in timing circuits. Unlike resistors, which dissipate energy as heat, and inductors, which store energy in a magnetic field, capacitors focus on storing energy in an electric field. Moreover, while transformers are used to transfer electrical energy between circuits at different voltage levels, they do not themselves store electrical energy, but rather transform it through electromagnetic induction.