Total opposition to current flow in an AC circuit is referred to as what?

In an AC circuit, the total opposition to current flow is referred to as impedance. Impedance encompasses not only the resistance encountered by current but also the effects of reactance, which arises from inductors and capacitors in the circuit.

Impedance is a complex quantity, represented mathematically as a combination of resistance (the opposition to direct current flow) and reactance (the opposition due to the storage of energy in electric and magnetic fields). This total opposition is essential in understanding how AC circuits behave under varying frequency conditions. While resistance is a part of impedance, it does not account for the dynamic behavior introduced by reactance in AC systems.

Reactance, on the other hand, refers specifically to the opposition to current flow caused by capacitance and inductance, and does not encompass resistance. Voltage, while a crucial parameter in AC circuits, represents the electric potential difference and does not describe opposition to current. Thus, impedance provides the most comprehensive description of total opposition in the context of alternating current.