What term describes the opposition to current flow in an AC circuit?

The term that describes the opposition to current flow in an AC circuit is resistance. Resistance is a fundamental property of electrical components and conductors, characterized by their ability to impede the flow of electric current. In both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) circuits, resistance is measured in ohms and plays a crucial role in determining how much current will flow for a given voltage according to Ohm's Law (V = IR).

In AC circuits, resistance affects the overall power dissipation and can lead to energy losses in the form of heat. While inductance and capacitance are also involved in AC circuits and have their own roles related to storing energy in magnetic and electric fields, respectively, they do not directly quantify opposition to current flow in the same manner that resistance does.

Conductance, on the other hand, is the reciprocal of resistance and instead refers to how easily current can flow through a component or material. Understanding these terms is essential for comprehending AC circuit behavior and the factors that influence current flow.