The difference between resistance and reactance

The difference between resistance and reactance

Both resistance and reactance are measured in Ω. Resistance is an actual physical quantity that hinders the flow of current. It consumes energy and releases it in the form of heat. The size of the resistance has nothing to do with voltage and current.

Reactance only exists in AC circuits. It is the hindrance of capacitance and inductance to AC current. Reactance does not consume energy, but stores energy and periodically releases and absorbs energy in the circuit. Reactance is divided into inductive reactance and capacitive reactance, which correspond to the hindering effects of inductance and capacitance respectively. The size of the reactance changes with the frequency of the voltage and current. The inductive reactance is directly proportional to the frequency, and the capacitive reactance is inversely proportional to the frequency.