What Is Complex Power? Active, Reactive, and Apparent Power Explained

In AC electrical systems, phase-shifting between voltage and current introduces the concept of complex power, which has active power, reactive power, and apparent power as its components. Understanding complex power is fundamentally important for AC electrical system analysis, operation, and control.

You will learn:

• The relationship between voltage and current in resistors, inductors, and capacitors
• What instantaneous power looks like in resistors, inductors, and capacitors
• How to use vector representations of voltage and current to calculate complex power
• How complex power is separated into active power, reactive power, and apparent power
• How power factor gives insight into system efficiency