What is the typical range for the power factor?

The typical range for the power factor is from 0.70 to 1.00. This range indicates the efficiency of electrical systems where a power factor of 1.00 represents a purely resistive load, meaning all supplied power is being used effectively. Values below 1.00 imply that some of the power is reactive, which does not perform useful work but is needed to maintain the electric and magnetic fields in inductive loads like motors and transformers.

A power factor of 0.70 indicates that 70 percent of the power is being converted into useful work, while 30 percent is lost due to reactive effects, making it significantly important to aim for this range in electrical systems for optimization of power usage. Power factors below 0.70 can indicate inefficiencies in a system, which could require corrective measures to improve energy usage.

The ranges provided in other choices do not reflect the commonly accepted values for power factor. For example, power factors below 0.70 may indicate poor efficiency, while values such as above 1.00 do not make practical sense, as power factors cannot exceed 1.0 within standard operation.