I've seen all three of these terms used interchangeably. But once when I did so, I was told I was using one of the terms incorrectly. Are these terms, in fact, equivalent? Or are there differences between them?
Electronic – difference between a choke, a reactor, and an inductor
chokeinductorterminology
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Best Answer
While all 3 refer to the same type of component, an inductor, their usage is application specific.
reactor An electromagnetic device, the primary purpose of which is to introduce inductive reactance into a circuit.
inductor A device consisting of one or more associated windings, with or without a magnetic core, for introducing inductance into an electric circuit.
choke coil An inductor used in a special application to impede the current in a circuit over a specified frequency range while allowing relatively free passage of the current at lower frequencies.