Explain the importance of power factor in an AC circuit

Why power factor is important in a circuit

1-The ratio between RESISTANCE to IMPEDANCE is called Power Factor

2-The ratio between ACTIVE POWER to APPARENT POWER is called Power Factor

3-The Cos value of the angle between CURRENT and VOLTAGE is called Power Factor.

Power factor is a term used to distinguish between real power & apparent power. Real power is generated from resistive load & apparent power generates from either inductive/ capacitive load. Power factor Is the measure of how effective the incoming power is used in your electrical power supply system, is defined as the ratio of the real working power kw to the apparent power kva

it is the difference in the response of current to the applied voltage…

Theoretically, all current should flow through load immediately after applying voltage. Causing the use of power to the full extent without loss. And hence we define it as the vector difference is zero …to result in unity PF.

Practically this is not happening due to load behaviors to the current.

It takes time to react to the applied voltage Causing early or late responses.

Which is called lead or lagging.

The early response called to lead and later is called lagging