eolas/zk/Impedance.md
2026-02-13 11:56:34 +00:00

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---
tags: [electricity, radio, ham-study]
---
Impedance is not the same thing as [resistance](./Resistance.md) although it is
a related concept.
Resistance is opposition to the flow of current **in both
[AC and DC](./Voltage_sources.md)** circuits. It is a quantity that **remains
constant**. Resistance in a circuit causes electrical energy to be dissipated as
heat.
In contrast, impedance is not constant. It changes based on the frequency of the
current and it only applies to AC circuits.
Impedance is calculated as the resistance _plus_ the frequency-dependent
opposition to alternating current from components such as capacitors and
inductors.
> Both resistance and impedance are measured in Ohms