Reaktanssien

Reaktanssien is a Finnish term that translates to "reactance" in English. In electrical engineering, reactance refers to the opposition to the flow of alternating current (AC) caused by inductance and capacitance in a circuit. Unlike resistance, which dissipates energy as heat, reactance stores and releases energy in the form of magnetic fields (in inductors) or electric fields (in capacitors).

There are two types of reactance: inductive reactance and capacitive reactance. Inductive reactance is directly proportional to the frequency of the AC signal and the inductance of the component. It causes the current to lag behind the voltage. Capacitive reactance, on the other hand, is inversely proportional to the frequency and the capacitance. It causes the current to lead the voltage.

The total opposition to AC current flow in a circuit containing both resistance and reactance is called impedance. Impedance is a complex quantity, taking into account both the resistive and reactive components. Reactance is measured in ohms, just like resistance. Understanding reactance is crucial for analyzing and designing AC circuits, as it significantly influences the behavior of currents and voltages.