REACTIVE POWER Meaning and
Definition
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Reactive power, also referred to as imaginary power, is a fundamental concept in electrical engineering that relates to the behavior of alternating current (AC) circuits. It represents the power that is consumed or supplied by reactive components, such as capacitors or inductors, in an AC circuit.
In an AC circuit, the flow of current and voltage continually changes direction and magnitude. Reactive components store and release electrical energy periodically as the voltage and current oscillate. Reactive power is the component of power that oscillates between the source and the components due to the energy exchange with these reactive elements.
Reactive power is measured in volt-amperes reactive (VAR) and is denoted with a unit similar to apparent power (volt-amperes or VA), with the addition of the "reactive" term. It is different from real power, which is the actual active power consumed by resistive components.
Reactive power, in combination with real power, determines the apparent power in an AC circuit. Apparent power is the vector sum of real and reactive power. It is critical to consider reactive power in power systems as it affects the overall power factor, which measures the efficiency of power utilization. A low power factor indicates a larger amount of reactive power in a circuit, which can result in increased losses, decreased voltage levels, and an inefficient use of electrical power.
Common Misspellings for REACTIVE POWER
- eeactive power
- deactive power
- feactive power
- teactive power
- 5eactive power
- 4eactive power
- rwactive power
- rsactive power
- rdactive power
- rractive power
- r4active power
- r3active power
- rezctive power
- resctive power
- rewctive power
- reqctive power
- reaxtive power
- reavtive power
- reaftive power
- readtive power
Etymology of REACTIVE POWER
The word "reactive" comes from the Latin word "re-" meaning "back" or "again", and "āctus", the past participle of the verb "agere", meaning "to do" or "to act". In this context, "reactive" refers to the power that is associated with the electrical elements that react or respond to changes in voltage and current in an AC (alternating current) electrical system. The term "reactive power" was coined to describe this type of power that is alternately absorbed and returned in circuits with inductive or capacitive components.
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