GED Science Practice

How is a capacitor designed to function?

1. branching off from the trachea into the lungs

2. unit of heat required to raise the temperature of water

3. an electrical device used to store electrical charge

4. long and slender with a very small internal diameter

The correct answer is: an electrical device used to store electrical charge

A capacitor is an electrical device that is specifically designed to store electrical charge by using two conductive plates separated by an insulating material. When a voltage is applied to the capacitor, one plate becomes positively charged while the other plate becomes negatively charged. This allows the capacitor to store energy, similar to how a battery does. Option A is incorrect because it describes the function of the trachea and lungs, not a capacitor. A capacitor has no relation to the respiratory system. Option B is incorrect because it describes the unit of heat, not the function of a capacitor. A capacitor's function is to store electrical charge, not heat. Option D is incorrect because it describes a physical characteristic of a tube, not the function of a capacitor. A capacitor's function is to store electrical charge, not be long and slender with a small internal diameter.