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JEE Main 2026 Preparation: Question Papers, Solutions, Mock Tests & Strategy Unacademy » JEE Study Material » Physics » Resistance and Impedance

Resistance and Impedance

In this article we are going to learn about resistance and impedance, resistance impedance equation, resistance impedance unit, Resistance with Sinusoidal Supply, Impedance of a capacitor, Impedance of a resistor, Impedance of a inductor and many more.

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The main difference between resistance and impedance is how they react to AC and DC currents. The flow of alternate current is governed by impedance, while the flow of AC and DC current is controlled by resistance. The distinction between resistance and impedance, the type of circuit in which they work, the elements on which they depend, their notation, real and imaginary numbers, the effect of frequency on them, phase angle, power dissipation, and stored energy are all explained here.

Resistance

Resistance is produced in a conductor as a result of electron mobility generated by the material’s ionic lattice, which permits electrical power to be converted to heat. On the other hand, electrical resistance is the polar opposite of steady-state current. Whenever a DC system is used to expose a complete resistance, it varies with frequency.

Resistance with Sinusoidal Supply

Whenever the switch is in the Off position, an AC voltage (V) is supplied to the resistor (R). This voltage is capable of moving current. This current will rise and decrease as the main voltage rises and falls in a sinusoidal manner. Since the load is a resistance, the voltage and current will both reach their maximum value and then return to zero at the same time, that is, they will rise and drop at the same time, which is referred to as “in-phase.”

The frequency equation I(t), where I is the maximum current value and is the phase angle coefficient, represents the electrical current which goes through the AC resistance as it fluctuates in sinusoidal format over time. For any specified current, like the current flowing through a resistor, we can demonstrate this.

The peak voltage or maximum in R’s terminals can be computed using Ohm’s Law as follows:

As a consequence, the alternating current in the resistor fluctuates in a sinusoidal manner around the applied voltage for a given resistive system. Because the basic frequency is the same for both current and voltage, their phasors will have the same values.

In other words, if an AC resistance is provided, the voltage and current do not change phase. As a consequence, the current can reach its minimum, maximum, and zero values when the voltage reaches its minimum, maximum, and zero values in its sinusoidal diagram.

Impedance

Impedance is a word that means the characteristics of capacitance and inductance in AC electrical circuits. This statistic is also impacted by frequency. Impedance and reactance are typically used interchangeably and are often stated to as the same thing. It’s vital to understand which reactance relates to the resistance that capacitors and inductors impose on the AC diagram, while impedance refers to the sum of reactance and resistance.

Any entire main circuit instrument, including a resistor, may be mathematically described based on its current and voltage, and the voltage within a pure ohmic resistor is directly connected to the current running via it, as stated by Ohm’s Law, as we can see in the resistor instructions.

Impedance of a resistor

Resistors in AC circuits operate similarly to their equivalents in DC circuits. A resistor’s impedance consists primarily of the real component, that is equal to the resistor’s resistance. As a consequence, a resistor’s impedance can be written as:

Here Z represents impedance and R denotes resistor resistance. A resistor, by definition, has no reactance and hence cannot store energy.

Impedance of a capacitor

Capacitors are electronic components that add capacitance to a circuit. They’re employed to store electrical energy in the form of an electric field for a short period of time. Although theoretically valid, this definition means less to a hobbyist or even most engineers. In the time domain, it’s probably more accurate to say that capacitors are employed to lag the voltage by 90 degrees compared to the current.

The capacitor current is said to be 90 degrees ahead of the capacitor voltage. For the capacitor impedance, the following equation is used to express this fact using complex numbers:

where ZC is a capacitor’s impedance, ω is its angular frequency, and C is its capacitance. This formula itself exposes a number of facts:

An ideal capacitor has zero resistance.

For all frequency and capacitance values, the reactance of an ideal capacitor, and hence its impedance, is negative.

The effective impedance (absolute value) of a capacitor is proportional to its frequency, and it always drops with frequency for perfect capacitors.

Impedance of an inductor

Inductors, on the other hand, are components that add inductance to a circuit. They’re employed to store electrical energy in the form of a magnetic field for a short period of time. Inductors are used to lag the current by 90 degrees in the time domain when compared to the voltage.

An inductor’s voltage is 90 degrees forward of the capacitor current. The impedance of an inductor is calculated using the following equation:

ZL=jωL

where ZL is the inductor’s impedance,   is the angular frequency, and L is the inductor’s inductance. From this formula, numerous assumptions can be drawn:

A perfect inductor has zero resistance.

For all frequency and inductance values, the reactance of an ideal inductor, and hence its impedance, is positive.

An inductor’s effective impedance (absolute value) is proportional to its frequency, and for ideal inductors, it always rises with frequency.

Things to Remember

The main difference between resistance and impedance is how they respond to AC and DC currents.

The flow of alternate current is governed by impedance, while the flow of AC and DC current is controlled by resistance.

The total opposite of steady-state current is electrical resistance. Whenever a DC system is used to reveal a complete resistance, it varies with frequency.

Impedance is a word that means the properties of capacitance and inductance in AC electrical circuits. Impedance is affected by frequency.

Whenever an AC resistance is introduced, the voltage and current do not change phase. As a consequence, the current can reach its minimum, maximum, and zero values when the voltage reaches its minimum, maximum, and zero values in its sinusoidal diagram.

Conclusion

Electron mobility generated by the material’s ionic lattice causes resistance in a conductor, allowing electrical power to be transferred to heat. The properties of capacitance and inductance in AC electrical circuits are referred to as impedance. Frequency has an impact on this statistic as well. Impedance and reactance are frequently interchanged and referred to as the same phenomenon.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Explain Ohm's law.

Ans: As per Ohm’s law, the current flowing through a conductor be...Read full

What is the unit for impedance?

Ans: The ohm, as resistance, is the unit of impedance. The alternating ...Read full

What causes resistance?

Ans: If electrons flow through a conductor, including a metal wire, an ...Read full

How do you calculate resistance impedance?

Ans: Determine the circuit’s resistance and reactance, then defin...Read full

Ans:

As per Ohm’s law, the current flowing through a conductor between two points is proportional to the voltage across the conductor. Whenever the proportionality constant, resistance, is added to the equation, the result is:

I=V ⁄ R

where I signifies the current in amperes, V indicates the voltage across the wire in volts, and R is the resistance of the conductor in ohms.

Ans:

The ohm, as resistance, is the unit of impedance. The alternating current either lags or leads the voltage, depending on the type of the reactance component of the impedance.

Ans:

If electrons flow through a conductor, including a metal wire, an electric current occurs. The ions in the metal can clash with the flowing electrons. This produces resistance and makes it more difficult for the electricity to flow.

Ans:

Determine the circuit’s resistance and reactance, then define resistance as R and reactance as X to calculate impedance. R and X are squared, and the two products are added together. Impedance is calculated by taking the square root of the sum of the squares of R and X. The answer will be displayed in ohms.

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