Final answer:
Capacitors conduct by storing and releasing charge without needing a voltage exceeding the breakdown voltage of the dielectric material, unlike other components that require reaching a specific voltage for conduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The applied voltage does not have to exceed the breakage voltage in order for conduction to begin on a capacitor. Unlike other components like a diode or transistor, a capacitor stores energy in the form of an electric field created between two conductive plates separated by an insulator (dielectric). When the electric field within the capacitor exceeds the dielectric strength of the insulating material, dielectric breakdown occurs, and the material can conduct, causing charge to move through the dielectric from one plate to the other. However, for normal operation and before dielectric breakdown, capacitors conduct by storing and releasing charge without requiring a voltage that exceeds the breakdown voltage of the dielectric material.