What effect does increasing the frequency have on inductive reactance?

Increasing the frequency of an alternating current (AC) signal has a direct effect on inductive reactance, which is represented mathematically as XL = 2πfL, where XL is inductive reactance, f is the frequency, and L is the inductance.

As frequency (f) increases, the product of 2πfL also increases, resulting in higher inductive reactance. This means that inductors resist changes in current more at higher frequencies, causing a greater opposition to the flow of electrical current. Therefore, if the frequency is doubled, the inductive reactance also effectively doubles, demonstrating a clear relationship between frequency and inductive reactance.

This relationship indicates that inductive reactance directly varies with frequency, thus making it an essential concept in AC circuit analysis and design.