What is impedance and what's the different when it comes to DC and AC circuit?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Impedance is, in lame man's terms, to AC current what resistance is to DC current.

anonymous · Answer

thats correct.  more specifically, its the equivalent in ac as the same value of heat dissipation in a dc circuit by the resistive element.  could be a resistor, could be something else, a lightbulb, for example.  The book definition is as follows, "The total opposition to current flow in an AC circuit." This occurs due to the phase shift when current passes through an inductor or capacitor coupled of course with the existing resistance in the wiring, components, or other resisors.  This is known as an RCL circuit. This subject is of course far mor complex but, this explanation kinda covers the basic idea.  I hope it helps a bit.