When a circuit has a high portion of its impedance made up of inductive reactance, what type of power factor does it have?

When a circuit presents a high level of inductive reactance, it inherently causes the current to lag behind the voltage in phase. This phenomenon is referred to as a lagging power factor. In electrical terms, power factor is defined as the cosine of the phase angle between the current and voltage waveforms. In circuits with significant inductive components, such as motors or transformers, the inductive reactance increases the phase angle, resulting in a lagging relationship.

A lagging power factor indicates that the real power (which performs useful work) is less than the apparent power (which is a combination of real power and reactive power). This is typical in systems where inductive loads dominate. Essentially, because of the inductive nature, the current cannot effectively utilize the voltage, leading to a power factor that is less than one and characterized as lagging.

This understanding of a lagging power factor is crucial for linemen and electrical engineers as it affects the design, efficiency, and stability of electrical systems, influencing both operational costs and compliance with regulations related to power quality.