What is the opposition to the flow of current in an AC circuit due to capacitance called?

The opposition to the flow of current in an AC circuit due to capacitance is specifically termed capacitive reactance. This concept arises because capacitors store and release energy in an AC circuit, leading to a phase shift between voltage and current. Capacitive reactance is calculated using the formula (X_C = \frac{1}{2πfC}), where (f) is the frequency of the AC signal and (C) is the capacitance. The higher the frequency or capacitance, the lower the capacitive reactance, which indicates that more current can flow in response to the voltage.

In contrast, impedance refers to the total opposition to current flow in an AC circuit, which encompasses not only capacitive reactance but also inductive reactance and resistance. Inductive reactance, another type of opposition in AC circuits, is associated with inductors and behaves differently from capacitance. Resistance pertains to the opposition to direct current and some AC components that result in heat loss primarily due to resistive materials.

Thus, in the context of this question, capacitive reactance clearly identifies the specific nature of opposition caused by capacitance, distinguishing it from more general or different types of opposition found in electrical circuits.