What happens to the inductive reactance as the frequency increases?

Inductive reactance is a property of an inductor in an AC circuit that describes how much the inductor opposes the change in current. It is influenced by the frequency of the AC signal passing through the inductor. The formula for calculating inductive reactance (X_L) is given by:

[ X_L = 2\pi f L ]

where:

• ( X_L ) is the inductive reactance,

• ( f ) is the frequency of the AC signal, and

• ( L ) is the inductance of the coil.

From this formula, it's evident that inductive reactance is directly proportional to the frequency. As the frequency increases, the inductive reactance increases as well. This means that at higher frequencies, the inductor opposes the change in current more strongly, resulting in greater inductive reactance.

The correct answer reflects this relationship, indicating that an increase in frequency leads to an increase in inductive reactance. Understanding this concept is essential for working with inductors in AC circuits, as it helps to predict how inductors will behave under varying frequencies.