Which of these components is used to limit the flow of current in a circuit?

A resistor is the component specifically designed to limit the flow of current in a circuit. It achieves this by providing a certain amount of resistance to the electric flow; according to Ohm’s Law (V = IR), as resistance increases, the current flow decreases for a given voltage.

In practical applications, resistors are widely used in circuits to adjust signal levels, divide voltages, and protect components from excessive current that could lead to damage. The value of the resistor, which is measured in ohms, determines how much current is allowed to flow through the circuit when a voltage is applied.

Other components:

• Capacitors store electrical energy temporarily and can influence current flow through charge and discharge cycles, but they do not limit current in the same way resistors do.

• Inductors store energy in a magnetic field when current flows through them and can oppose changes in current, but they are not primarily used to limit steady current flow.

• Transistors are semiconductor devices that can act as switches or amplifiers, controlling the flow of current in a circuit, but they are not designed simply to limit current like resistors.

Thus, a resistor is the fundamental component employed for limiting current in electrical circuits.