What happens to the charge on a capacitor when the voltage is removed?

When the voltage across a capacitor is removed, the charge does not immediately drop to zero. Instead, it remains unchanged for a short period of time due to the principles of capacitance and energy storage. Capacitors store energy in the electric field created between their plates, and until a discharge path is provided or the capacitor self-discharges through internal resistances, the charge will persist.

This maintains the stored electric energy in the capacitor until it either dissipates slowly or is used to supply current to a circuit. This behavior is fundamental to how capacitors function in electronic circuits, providing stability and smoothing out voltage levels. Understanding this concept is vital for anyone working in avionics or electronics, as it explains how capacitors are utilized in circuits to temporarily store and release energy.