Reactance Definition and 82 Threads

In electric and electronic systems, reactance is the opposition of a circuit element to the flow of current due to that element's inductance or capacitance. Greater reactance leads to smaller currents for the same voltage applied. Reactance is similar to electric resistance in this respect, but differs in that reactance does not lead to dissipation of electrical energy as heat. Instead, energy is stored in the reactance, and a quarter-cycle later returned to the circuit, whereas a resistance continuously loses energy.
Reactance is used to compute amplitude and phase changes of sinusoidal alternating current (AC) going through a circuit element. Like resistance, reactance is measured in ohms, with positive values indicating inductive reactance and negative indicating capacitive reactance. It is denoted by the symbol





X




{\displaystyle \scriptstyle {X}}
. An ideal resistor has zero reactance, whereas ideal inductors and capacitors have zero resistance – that is, respond to current only by reactance. As frequency increases, inductive reactance also increases and capacitive reactance decreases.

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  1. B

    Smith Chart Question Inductive Reactance

    Hello, I'm a little new to Smith Charts and have been having difficulty trying answer this particular question below. Homework Statement The problem states there is a 12.5 m long, 100 Ω lossless transmission line terminated with a load impedance Zl = 50 + j110 Ω. The line is...
  2. L

    About the experiment to find the reactance of inductor

    I have just done an experiment on finding the reactance of (a)an air-core inductor and (b)an inductor with a soft-iron core. I have plotted a graph of Vrms against Irms for each experiment. For the graph in (a), the straight line can pass through origin; yet, for the graph in (b), the straight...
  3. L

    About the reactance of capacitor

    For inductors, it is the induced e.m.f. which resists the current flow. However, I don't quite understand how capacitors resist the current flow. Why is there capacitive reactance? What does 'A built-up electric field resists the change of voltage on the element' mean?
  4. J

    Is Reactance the Magnitude of Impedance or Its Complex Part?

    My notes say reactance is the magnitude of impedance, so I assume it means this: |Z| = \sqrt{X^2 + Y^2} but this is contradicted by numerous internet sources I've read which say that it is the magnitude of the complex part of impedance |Y| . Could someone clarify this? I'm more inclined...
  5. B

    Why Is Capacitor Reactance 1/LC Instead of 1/sqrt(LC)?

    Homework Statement I just want to know why the reactance of a capacitor is 1/LC rather than 1/\sqrt{}LC? Homework Equations 2(pi)f = 1/sqrt(LC)
  6. M

    RC Circuit, what does it imply when resistance = capacitive reactance (R=Xc)?

    Homework Statement I am trying to complete a lab about RC circuits. I was told to make a graph of both the high-pass and the low-pass filter (frequency vs. Vin/Vout). Then I was asked this question: "Explain why the two lines on your graph should always cross at the frequency where XC =...
  7. H

    Unknown reactance how to solve?

    unknown reactance ...how to solve? Homework Statement a circuit with the unknown X (pure reactance) in sereis with a two parallel impedance.Z1= 4-j8 ; Z2= 1+j10 ...and total power factor is 0.707.. find the unknown reactance. Homework Equations p.f. = Rtotal/Ztotal... The Attempt...
  8. R

    Calculating Peak Current in Inductive Reactance of 0.1H @340V, 50Hz

    Homework Statement What is the peak current when the voltage is applied across a pure inductance of value 0.1H? We're told that the Peak Voltage is 340V, that the power supply is rated at 240V rms. f=50hz Homework Equations XL = jwL w=2pi*f The Attempt at a Solution...
  9. E

    Complex impedance and negative reactance

    Homework Statement consider a circuit expressed by v(t)= 100cos \omega t and i(t)=2cos(\omega t+\pi / 3) . Find the reactance.Homework Equations Z=\frac{V}{I} = R+jXThe Attempt at a Solution Z=\frac{100}{2\angle \pi /3} = 50\angle -\pi /3 = 46 - j19 Does the negative imaginary part mean...
  10. A

    Transient and subtransient reactance of alternators

    please explain the transient and subtransient reactance of synchronous machines
  11. S

    A demonstration of inductive reactance

    I'm conducting a seminar at college on application of AC to passive components. To Demonstrate what inductive reactance is , i want to wind a coil , connect it to a DC source , find the resistance. Then i want to directly connect it the AC mains and find th effective resistance again and show...
  12. J

    How Do Advertisers Manipulate Perceived Consumer Choice?

    Not sure how to properly use the youtube tags. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR-H7CxhEZc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iWPff2jEo0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMfJGwngUAY...
  13. S

    Inductive reactance – Circular loop with N lambda standing wave

    Has anyone come across, or may be able to point me in the direction of a method for evaluating the inductive reactance of a circular loop when the wavelength of the applied signal is significantly less than the conductor length of the loop - and more particularly when; A. The driven...
  14. S

    Inductive reactance – Circular loop with N lambda standing wave

    Has anyone come across, or may be able to point me in the direction of a method for evaluating the inductive reactance of a circular loop when the wavelength of the applied signal is significantly less than the conductor length of the loop - and more particularly when; A. The driven wavelength...
  15. X

    What are the applications of Reactance Diagram?

    Hi there! I am just wondering about the applications of reactance diagram in the real world. What are the uses of this diagram? Thanks!
  16. T

    Engineering Calculating Resistance & Reactance of Load with PF 0.866 and 200V, 5A

    Homework Statement the power factor of a load is 0.866 lagging.the voltage is 200v and the current is 5A.caculate the equivalent series reactance and resistance of the load. Homework Equations cos.theta = power factor = resistance / impedence= 0.866 volt = ampere / impendence The...
  17. M

    How Do You Calculate Inductor Reactance at 60 Hz?

    Homework Statement What is the reactance of a 0.1-H inductor if the frequency is 60 Hz? Homework Equations z=jwL where z is impedance, j is imaginary unit, L is inductance x=wL=2pifL Z=R+jX The Attempt at a Solution I know this is pretty basic, but I'm not sure which equation to...
  18. A

    Inductive reactance and length of the solenoid

    Homework Statement A solenoid with a radius of 8.0 10-3 m and 170 turns/cm is used as an inductor in a circuit. When the solenoid is connected to a source of 15 V rms at 22 kHz, an rms current of 3.7 10-2 A is measured. Assume the resistance of the solenoid is negligible. (a) What is the...
  19. B

    How can capacitive reactance be zero for no capacitor?

    I have a quick question about a problem requiring calculating impedance of a circuit where there is no capacitor. The formula for impedance Z is Z=sqrt(R^2 + (Xl - Xc)^2). I am told capacitive reactance Xc = 0 because C = 0 (there is no capacitor in the circuit). But the formula for Xc is Xc...
  20. O

    Induction Coil powering a load (inductive reactance problem)

    Hello all! I am a student of electrical & electronic engineering, in my final year; for my dissertation, I am exploring the possibility of scavenging energy from a magnetic field in order to power a wireless sensor..I am using a coil of rectangular cross section with a magnetic core occupying...
  21. U

    Deriving Capacitor Reactance: AC Signals & Ohm's Law

    How do we derive the opposition to current flow (AC signal) due to capacitance without using complex numbers? Is the capacitor's reactance a constant or an average? If I were to measure the instantaneous voltage across a capacitor and the instantaneous current through it, shouldn't I get...
  22. K

    Reactance and Inductance of an inductor

    a. The reactance of an inductor is 100 ohms at 2kHz. What is the inductance of this inductor?? b. At what frequency is the reactance of a 3.5-mH inductor equal to 10 ohm? I am not even sure what equations to use for these two questions. I know that for a the inductive reactance equation...
  23. T

    Is There a Relationship Between Capacitive Reactance and DC Circuits?

    Homework Statement Hi I hope I write in the right thread, if not, my apologies to the moderator. I am not a physisist, but I am very interested in physics and I am doing medical physics right now, and wondered if you guys could help me with something (probably easy for you, but I don't seem...
  24. D

    Transformer Magnetizing Reactance

    In the case of an open-circuit test of transformer, when I increase the supply voltage, i realize the magnetising reactance (Xm) decreases, why does this happen?
  25. T

    Reactance Equal: Can Low Value Capacitor Replace High Value Inductor?

    Now if we take the impedence for a circuit. Xc for the capacitive component and Xl for the inductive component and equate them, that is we equate the impedance then we can get the same impedance from both a capacitive as well as a inductive load, we get something like this. Now, in...
  26. F

    How Does an Inductor Affect AC Current and Voltage Phase Relationship?

    Say we have an inductor connected to an AC voltage source. Current will then lag voltage by 90 degrees. Does the current maintain it's previous value (as if the inductor was not there) but 90 degrees out of phase, or is it still dependent only on voltage? Rephrasing (in case that was poorly...
  27. F

    Inductors with apparent negative inductive reactance?

    1. I am currently progressing through my assignment, however I have been given a circuit with 2 values of Z: Z1 has a magnitude of 30 and angle of -31. Z2 has a real value of -12 and an imaginary number of -36. 2. When these are both converted to complex number format: Z1 = 25.715 -...
  28. D

    Reactance, resistance and impedance

    Could someone please help me out with this question, I can't find it everywhere in my book. Its a question I need to know for my exams as well. Q. Distinguish between reactance, resistance and impedance and illustrate their relationship on an impedance phasor diagram.
  29. R

    Difference between reactive power and reactance

    if some one could help me understand the difference between the math used to find the reactive powers voltamps and reactances ohms
  30. D

    Finding Capacitance & Inductive Reactance for RLC Circuit in FM Broadcasting

    1. A RLC circuit is used in a radio to tune into an FM broadcasting station at 99.7 Mhz. The resistance in the circuit is 12.0 ohm, and the inductance is 1.40 uH (micro Henry) what capacitance should be used? this question is tricky what i tried to do is used XC=1/wC where C is capacitance...
  31. D

    Exploring RLC Circuits: Lamp Brightness & Inductive Reactance

    :cry: hi i got 2 questions here fairly confusing was wondering if i can get some help thanks 1. consider a series RLC circuit in which R is an incandescent Lamp C is some fixed capacitor and L is a variable inductance. The source is 240 V ac. explain why the lamp glows brightly for some...
  32. H

    What is the reactance of the capacitor at 1.00 kHz?

    i seemto be frequenting this board more than i intended to but i physics is not my strong point at all so if i seem bothersome apologize about that and i also try to put what i have done sor for in the problem so it don;t seem like i am not trying so here goes and besides does anyone know where...
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