What is the power factor when the phase angle is 0 degrees?

The power factor is a measure of how effectively electrical power is being converted into useful work output, and it is defined as the cosine of the phase angle between the voltage and current waveforms. When the phase angle is 0 degrees, it indicates that the voltage and current are perfectly in sync, meaning that all of the electrical power is being used for productive work without any reactive power involved.

In this scenario, the cosine of 0 degrees is equal to 1, which means the power factor is also 1. This represents an ideal situation where the load is purely resistive—there are no inductive or capacitive elements causing a phase shift. In practical terms, a power factor of 1 signifies that the system is operating at maximum efficiency, as all the incoming power is being utilized.

In contrast, other power factor values, such as 0, 0.5, or 0.75, would indicate varying degrees of inefficiency, whereby some of the power is wasted as reactive power, which does not contribute to useful work output. Thus, the power factor of 1 is a clear representation of optimal performance under conditions of a 0-degree phase angle.