What occurs when reactance and resistance are equal in an AC circuit?

When reactance and resistance are equal in an AC circuit, the phenomenon known as resonance occurs. In this state, the total impedance of the circuit is minimized, and as a result, the current reaches its maximum value for a given voltage. This balance between reactance (the opposition to current flow due to capacitive and inductive components) and resistance (the opposition due to resistive components) leads to a condition where the inductive and capacitive effects cancel each other out.

Resonance occurs specifically in circuits containing both inductors and capacitors, as the inductive reactance increases with frequency while capacitive reactance decreases. At the resonant frequency, the two reactances become equal, allowing the circuit to efficiently transfer energy without losses from reactance. This results in a notably high current at a certain frequency, which is a key concept in understanding the behavior of AC circuits in various applications, such as in tuning radio receivers or in power electronics.

Other options present scenarios that do not accurately depict the relationship between reactance and resistance at this point in the circuit's behavior. For instance, the circuit cannot be considered a short circuit when reactance equals resistance, nor does it indicate an overload condition. Additionally, the scenario does not suggest that