An inductor is an essential passive electronic component that stores energy in the form of a magnetic field when an electric current flows through it. It is often represented by a coil or solenoid of wire. The primary property of an inductor is its ability to oppose changes in the current flowing through it.
When the current passing through an inductor changes, the magnetic field around the coil also changes. This change in the magnetic field induces a voltage across the inductor, according to Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. The induced voltage opposes the change in current, creating a kind of "resistance" to the changes in the flow of electricity. This property makes inductors useful in a variety of applications, including filtering out high-frequency noise, storing energy, and creating time delays in electronic circuits.
Inductors are often denoted by the symbol "L" and are measured in units called henries (H). The larger the inductance value, the stronger the opposition to changes in current. Inductors are commonly used in conjunction with capacitors, resistors, and other components to design various electronic circuits like filters, oscillators, transformers, and more.