Which property of an inductor opposes changes in current?

The property of an inductor that opposes changes in current is inductance. Inductance is a fundamental characteristic of inductors that describes their ability to store energy in a magnetic field when electrical current flows through them. When there is a change in the current, the magnetic field either expands or collapses, and according to Lenz's law, the inductor responds by generating a voltage that opposes this change.

As the current increases, the inductor builds up magnetic energy, and when the current attempts to decrease, the inductor releases this stored energy, effectively opposing the reduction in current. This property is vital in many applications, such as filters and oscillators, where control over the timing and smoothing of currents is required.

Other options do not represent this opposing effect on current changes accurately. Voltage represents the electrical potential difference, magnetism relates more to the magnetic field itself rather than how it relates to the current change, and capacitance refers to the ability of a capacitor to store electrical energy in an electric field, which operates quite differently than inductance. Hence, inductance is the precise term for the property that describes the opposition to changes in current.