What happens when a capacitor is discharged?

When a capacitor is discharged, it releases its stored electrical energy, which can temporarily allow current to flow. In this state, the capacitor behaves similar to a short circuit for a brief moment, as it has no voltage across its terminals and allows maximum current to pass through. This phenomenon occurs because the capacitor's plates, having stored charge, begin to equalize and allow charge to momentarily flow until the voltage drops to zero.

While the capacitor is in this short-circuit-like state, it's important to note that this only occurs during the discharging process. Eventually, once the stored energy has dissipated, the capacitor will no longer allow current to flow, acting as an open circuit when fully discharged. The other options do not correctly describe the discharging behavior of a capacitor, as it does not retain voltage or behave like a resistor.