Total opposition to the flow of current in an AC circuit is known as what?

Total opposition to the flow of current in an AC circuit is referred to as impedance. This is because impedance combines both resistance and reactance, effectively representing how much the circuit resists the flow of alternating current.

Resistance refers to the opposition to current flow in both AC and DC circuits, providing a specific measure of how materials resist the flow of electricity in a straightforward manner. However, in an AC circuit, the presence of reactance, which arises from the inductance and capacitance, must also be taken into consideration.

Reactance accounts for the additional opposition caused by the changing electric and magnetic fields in AC circuits, which changes with frequency. Therefore, while resistance is a component of impedance, it does not encompass the complete picture of total opposition in an AC environment.

Impedance is expressed in ohms, similar to resistance, but it provides a more comprehensive understanding of how AC circuits behave in real-world applications. This is essential knowledge for understanding how different factors affect current flow in systems using alternating current.