What term describes the opposition to current flow in an AC circuit with resistance and inductance?

In an AC circuit that includes both resistance and inductance, the term that best describes the opposition to current flow is impedance. Impedance is a complex quantity that accounts for both the resistance (the opposition to direct current) and the reactance (the opposition contributed by inductance and capacitance).

Resistance measures how much current is opposed in a circuit due to resistive elements, while reactance specifically refers to how inductors and capacitors react to alternating current, impacting the circuit’s current flow at different frequencies. Impedance combines these two effects, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of how AC circuits behave. Thus, impedance represents the total opposition to current in circuits with resistive and reactive components, making it the appropriate choice in this context.