What Is an Inductor? A Practial Guide for Hobbyists

The inductor is a simple component, and how it works is also pretty simple. The only problem is that most explanations do not explain it in a simple way.

So, what is an inductor? Well, it’s kind of a strange component. At the most basic level, it is just a coil of wire. And it’s easy to make one — just make some loops with a wire.

But wires actually create magnetic fields. And that means the inductor behaves in an interesting way and can do interesting stuff.

The Inductor in a Circuit

If you’re learning electronics, the first important question is: What does the inductor do in a circuit?

An inductor will resist changes in current.

In the circuit below, you have an LED and a resistor in series with an inductor. And there’s a switch to turn the power on and off.

Without the inductor, this would just be a normal LED circuit and the LED would turn on right away when you flip the switch.

But the inductor is a component that resists changes in current.