- Inductors (Coils)
A. The Q value is a parameter that indicates the quality of an inductor. "Q" stands for "Quality Factor". Coils easily pass direct current but act as a resistor to alternating current. This behavior is called inductive reactance. The higher the frequency of the alternating current, the higher the inductive reactance.
However, although the coil is a conductor, the wire winding has certain resistance components (R). The ratio between the resistance components and the frequency-dependent inductance (R/2πf L) is called the loss factor, and its inverse number is the Q value (Q=2πf L/R). Because f is the frequency of the current flowing through the coil, the Q value will differ according to the frequency. In simple terms, a higher Q value means lower losses and better suitability for use as a high frequency inductor.
