When is the inductive reactance highest in an inductor?

Inductive reactance is a property of an inductor that quantifies its opposition to the flow of alternating current (AC) due to its inductance. The formula for inductive reactance (XL) is given by the equation:

[ XL = 2\pi f L ]

where ( f ) is the frequency of the AC signal and ( L ) is the inductance of the inductor.

As frequency increases, the value of inductive reactance also increases linearly because of its direct relationship with frequency in the formula. Thus, at high frequencies, the inductive reactance reaches its highest value, meaning the inductor presents more opposition to the AC current, which can affect the overall behavior of the circuit in terms of current flow and phase relationships.

In contrast, at low frequencies, inductive reactance is lower, as the frequency component in the equation becomes smaller. When it comes to steady DC currents, the frequency is effectively zero, leading to zero inductive reactance, as the inductor behaves like a short circuit in that scenario. Therefore, the correct answer reflects the principle that inductive reactance is highest when operating at high frequencies.