An inductor is an electronic component that stores energy in a magnetic field when current flows through it. Many inductors are made from wire wound into a coil, sometimes around a core material.
Where inductors are used
Inductors are common in power supplies, filters, radios, motors, speakers, and circuits that manage changing current. They can help smooth signals or work with capacitors to tune a circuit to certain frequencies.
Inductors and current
An inductor resists sudden changes in current. That makes it useful when a circuit needs to control spikes, noise, or switching behavior.
The short idea: a capacitor stores energy electrically, while an inductor stores it magnetically.