What is the formula for calculating the reactance of an inductor, and how does it depend on frequency?
1 Answer
The reactance of an inductor is a measure of its opposition to changes in current and is denoted by the symbol "XL." It is calculated using the following formula:
XL = 2πfL
Where:
XL is the inductive reactance in ohms (Ω)
π (pi) is a mathematical constant approximately equal to 3.14159
f is the frequency of the AC (alternating current) signal in hertz (Hz)
L is the inductance of the inductor in henrys (H)
The inductive reactance of an inductor is directly proportional to both the frequency of the AC signal and the inductance of the inductor. As the frequency increases, the inductive reactance also increases. This means that an inductor will have a greater opposition to changes in current when subjected to higher frequency AC signals.
Conversely, if the frequency of the AC signal is low, the inductive reactance will be relatively small. This is why inductors are often used in AC circuits to control the flow of current, particularly in applications like filters, transformers, and impedance matching networks.
XL = 2πfL
Where:
XL is the inductive reactance in ohms (Ω)
π (pi) is a mathematical constant approximately equal to 3.14159
f is the frequency of the AC (alternating current) signal in hertz (Hz)
L is the inductance of the inductor in henrys (H)
The inductive reactance of an inductor is directly proportional to both the frequency of the AC signal and the inductance of the inductor. As the frequency increases, the inductive reactance also increases. This means that an inductor will have a greater opposition to changes in current when subjected to higher frequency AC signals.
Conversely, if the frequency of the AC signal is low, the inductive reactance will be relatively small. This is why inductors are often used in AC circuits to control the flow of current, particularly in applications like filters, transformers, and impedance matching networks.