Where is the energy storage element located that provides the flash in a strobe light?

• A. In a battery inside the glow lamp
• B. In the ballast resistor
• C. In the aircraft's main battery
• D. In a capacitor which discharges at high voltage

Answer: (D)

The energy for a strobe’s flash is stored in a high-voltage capacitor. It charges up over time from the strobe’s power supply and, when triggered, rapidly discharges its stored energy through the flash tube to produce a bright, brief flash. The ballast resistor simply limits current and does not store energy. The aircraft’s main battery isn’t used to supply the flash energy, and there isn’t a battery inside the lamp itself.