In an AC circuit, what does the term 'impedance' refer to?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
In an AC circuit, what does the term 'impedance' refer to?
Resistance only
Total opposition to current
Voltage drop
Current flow
Impedance is the total opposition that a circuit offers to the flow of alternating current, which includes both resistance and reactance.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: In an AC circuit, what does the term 'impedance' refer to?
Solution: Impedance is the total opposition that a circuit offers to the flow of alternating current, which includes both resistance and reactance.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand that AC stands for alternating current, which is a type of electrical current that changes direction periodically.
Step 2: Know that in any electrical circuit, there are two main factors that affect how easily current can flow: resistance and reactance.
Step 3: Resistance is the opposition to current flow that generates heat, like a light bulb or a resistor.
Step 4: Reactance is the opposition to current flow caused by capacitors and inductors, which store energy in electric and magnetic fields.
Step 5: Impedance combines both resistance and reactance into one measurement, showing the total opposition to the flow of alternating current in the circuit.
