# Capacitor and Inductor in Series

Hi, if you have a capacitor and inductor in series connected to an Alternating Supply, do their reactances add up?
Thanks
Richard.

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Defennder
Homework Helper
Yes, reactance behaves just like resistance in resistive circuits.

Ummm, they add like this 5 & 4 = 1.

Capactitive reactance is 180 degrees out of phase from inductive reactance, so you actually subtract one from the another.

It's good to go back to the definitions. In series,

$$Z= i\omega L + \frac{1}{i\omega C}$$

where $$X_{L}=Im(Z)$$

Last edited:
Defennder
Homework Helper
I miswrote, sorry. I thought I saw "impedance" instead of "reactance". But why are you considering reactances and not impedances? The former is part of the latter.

I have a generator that needs a new capasitor and I cannot find one any where! can someone tell me what size I need for a kawaqsaki 5.0 ops FA210D modle number: GGK-26-B serile number KJ19-78B
KW: 2.65 Amps:22 KVA: 2.65 Phase:1
voltage: 120 RPM:3600
HZ: 60
would appriciate anyons help!
russhart70
or give me a formula,? PLZ.

$$Z= i\omega L + \frac{1}{i\omega C}$$
$$= i\omega L - \frac{i}{\omega C}$$

because: 1/i = -i

So, they subtract.

it has been 12 years since i graduated collage, and cant quit understand the formula, I wired two capasitors together and now I am pushing 175 volts out of this generator??? cannot rember wat I did?? I am a licenced electrician, and I guess its been to long since I have had to figure this stuff out!

goin to get my books out real quick!

do not understand wat L = wat I know is P=wats I = amps E=volts R=omes

I guess I AM