Which of the following components introduces opposition to current flow in AC circuits?

In AC circuits, inductors introduce opposition to the flow of current primarily due to the phenomenon of inductive reactance. When alternating current flows through an inductor, it generates a magnetic field that opposes changes in the current. This opposition is not purely resistive, as it also depends on the frequency of the AC signal and the inductance of the coil. The formula for inductive reactance is given by the product of ( 2\pi f L ), where ( f ) is the frequency and ( L ) is the inductance. Therefore, as the frequency or inductance increases, so does the opposition to current flow.

While other components like resistors, transformers, and diodes play important roles in circuits, they do not introduce opposition in the same manner as inductors do. Resistors provide a constant resistance to current flow regardless of frequency, transformers transfer energy between circuits through electromagnetic induction but do not oppose current flow, and diodes allow current to flow in one direction while blocking it in the opposite, but they do not specifically create opposition to AC current due to its alternating nature. Thus, inductors are the key components that introduce specific opposition to the flow of current in AC circuits through inductive reactance.