What type of load has a power factor of 1?

A power factor of 1 indicates that all the power supplied by the source is being effectively used by the load, with no reactive power present. This is typically the case for resistive loads, which convert electrical energy into heat, light, or motion without storing energy in an electromagnetic field or a capacitor.

Resistive loads operate in a way where the voltage and current are in phase, meaning that they reach their maximum and minimum values simultaneously. This results in an ideal power factor of 1, signifying that the load does not introduce any phase difference between voltage and current.

In contrast, inductive and capacitive loads do have reactive components, leading to phase differences and therefore power factors less than 1. These types of loads consume reactive power, which is not fully converted into productive work. Similarly, the term "reactive load" also implies the presence of these characteristics, further establishing that resistive loads stand out with a power factor of 1.