Final answer:
The opposition to the flow of current in a circuit caused by inductors is called inductive reactance. Inductive reactance is a type of AC resistance that is measured in ohms and represents the opposition of an inductor to a change in current. It leads to a phase shift between the voltage and current in an AC circuit.
Step-by-step explanation:
The opposition to the flow of a current that inductors put in a circuit is called inductive reactance. Inductive reactance is a type of AC resistance that represents the opposition of an inductor to a change in current. It is measured in ohms and is related to the inductance of the device.
When a sinusoidal voltage is applied to an inductor in an AC circuit, the voltage leads the current by a 90° phase angle. This phase angle indicates the delay in the current response compared to the voltage. In other words, the opposition to the change in current by an inductor results in a phase shift between the voltage and current.
Lenz's law explains the reason for this opposition. When the current through an inductor changes, it induces an electromotive force (emf) that opposes the change. According to Lenz's law, the induced emf is always in a direction that opposes the change in current.