Resistance,

Reactance
and
Impedance
Topic 2 Finals
Intended
Learning At the end of this session,
Outcomes learners should be able to:
• Differentiate resistance, reactance and
impedance
• Define what is capacitance and
inductance
• Calculate capacitive reactance and
inductive reactance
• Calculate impedance and Introduce
Impedance triangle
Resistance (R) Ohms
is the opposition of electrical current in the circuit due to
length, area, resistivity and temperature of the material.
 Length

Area
Resistance
Resistivity

Temperature
Reactance (X) Ohms
is the opposition of change of electrical current in the
circuit due to inductance and capacitance.
Capacitance (C) Farad
Amount of electrical charge stored
in an electric field through the
change in voltage
Capacitive
Reactance (Xc) Opposition to the change in alternating current
due to the presence of capacitor
Ohms • C = Capacitance in Farad
• f = frequency in Hertz
Inductance (L) Henry
Tendency of a conductor to oppose
the electrical current through the
production of magnetic field
Inductive
Reactance (XL) Opposition to the change in alternating current
due to the presence of capacitor
Ohms • L = Inductance in Henry
• f = frequency in Hertz
 Reactance

X = XL - Xc

Xc =
XL = inductive
capacitive
reactance
reactance
Impedance (Z) Ohms
• The total opposition of an alternating current.
• It is the vector sum of resistance and reactance.
Impedance Formula

R = Resistance in Ohms
X = Reactance in Ohms
Z = Impedance in Ohms
 Sample Problem

• Find inductive reactance (XL)

• Find capacitive reactance (Xc)
• Find total reactance
• Find the impedance
 Reciprocal or Opposite

Parameters Symbols Unit Reciprocal Symbols Unit

Resistance R Ohm Conductance G Mho

Reactance X Ohm Susceptance B Mho

Impedance Z Ohm Admittance Y Mho

Capacitance C Farad Elastance S Daraf

Inductance L Henry Magnetic R*

Reluctance*