If the voltage applied across a capacitor is removed, what happens to the charge stored in the capacitor?

When the voltage applied across a capacitor is removed, the charge stored in the capacitor does not immediately change; it remains the same. A capacitor stores electrical energy in an electric field created by the separation of positive and negative charges on its plates. The amount of charge on the plates is determined by the voltage across the capacitor and its capacitance (using the relationship Q = CV, where Q is the charge, C is the capacitance, and V is the voltage).

Once the voltage is removed, there are no external forces acting to change the amount of charge stored. The charge will remain on the plates until a path is provided for it to discharge, such as through a connected load or a short-circuiting path. Thus, the charge stored in the capacitor does not decrease or become zero instantly; it stays constant until it starts to leak through parasitic resistances or is introduced to a circuit that allows for discharge.