What term is used to describe the ability of a material to resist the flow of electric current?

The term used to describe the ability of a material to resist the flow of electric current is resistance. This characteristic is crucial in electronics and electrical engineering, as resistance determines how much current will flow through a given material when a voltage is applied. High resistance indicates that the material does not allow current to flow easily, while low resistance means that the material offers little opposition to the current.

Resistance is measured in ohms, and it plays a significant role in Ohm’s Law, which relates voltage (the potential difference), current (the flow of electric charge), and resistance. In practical applications, understanding resistance helps in designing circuits, selecting appropriate materials for particular electrical applications, and ensuring circuit safety.

The other terms in the context of electrical properties serve different functions: voltage refers to the potential energy per unit charge that drives current through a circuit; capacitance relates to the ability of a body to store an electrical charge; and conductivity describes how well a material allows the flow of electric current, which is the inverse of resistance. Thus, resistance is the specific term that directly addresses the opposition to current flow.