Which component can be used to filter out voltage spikes in an electrical circuit?

The component that effectively filters out voltage spikes in an electrical circuit is the capacitor. Capacitors can store and release electrical energy, making them very useful in smoothing out voltage fluctuations. When a voltage spike occurs, the capacitor absorbs the excess energy, preventing it from affecting other components in the circuit. This ability to charge and discharge rapidly allows capacitors to mitigate sudden changes in voltage, thereby protecting sensitive electronic components from potential damage caused by such spikes.

In contrast, while resistors, transformers, and inductors have important roles in electrical circuits, they do not serve the same purpose in filtering voltage spikes. Resistors primarily limit current flow and dissipate energy as heat, transformers primarily function for voltage transformation and isolation, and inductors store energy in a magnetic field but are more suited for filtering out high-frequency noise rather than handling voltage spikes. Thus, the capacitor is uniquely positioned to effectively filter out voltage spikes.