What term describes the total opposition to current flow in an alternating current circuit?

The term that describes the total opposition to current flow in an alternating current circuit is called impedance. Impedance is a broader concept than resistance, as it encompasses both resistance and reactance in an AC circuit.

Resistance refers specifically to the opposition to direct current and does not take into account the effects of frequency which are significant in AC circuits. Reactance, on the other hand, refers to the opposition to current flow caused by inductance and capacitance, which varies with the frequency of the AC signal. While reactance is an important component of impedance, it does not represent the total opposition by itself.

Conductance is a measure of how easily electricity flows through a material but is not used to describe the opposition to current flow. Therefore, impedance is the comprehensive term that accurately reflects the total opposition to current in an AC circuit, incorporating both resistance and the frequency-dependent effects of reactance.