What term is used to define the timing relationships involved in alternating current signals?

The term used to define the timing relationships involved in alternating current (AC) signals is phase. In AC circuits, signals can be described as sinusoidal waves, and phase refers to the position of one wave relative to another in terms of time. This is crucial because it affects how voltages and currents interact with one another in a circuit, particularly when dealing with multiple signals.

When we talk about phase, we often refer to the phase angle, which indicates how far one waveform is shifted in time compared to another waveform. For example, two AC signals may reach their peaks at the same time (in phase) or at different times (out of phase). Understanding phase relationships is essential for analyzing circuits, particularly in applications like power systems and signal processing, where the timing of the signals can greatly influence the overall system performance.

Magnitude pertains to the size or strength of an AC signal, impedance defines the opposition that a circuit presents to AC, and reactance specifically refers to the opposition to changing current caused by inductance and capacitance. While these concepts are important in the context of AC analysis, they do not specifically define timing relationships like phase does.