What is true about transformers regarding charge retention?

Transformers are designed to operate as electromagnetic devices that transfer electrical energy between circuits through inductively coupled conductors. When a transformer is de-energized, the energy in the magnetic field dissipates, and there is no longer a significant voltage present across the windings. This means that while a transformer can momentarily have residual magnetism, it does not retain a charge in the same way that capacitors do.

When the transformer is disconnected from the power source, the stored energy in the transformer is released, resulting in a lack of charge retention. Thus, it’s true that transformers do not maintain a charge when they are de-energized.

In contrast, while options suggesting that transformers retain a charge for periods, under load, or always retain a small charge might convey some idea of electrical behavior, they do not accurately reflect the fundamental principle of how transformers function in relation to charge retention. Transformers do not hold a charge like capacitors; once they are de-energized, they return to a neutral state without any stored electrical energy.