What property of an electrical circuit restricts the flow of current?

The property of an electrical circuit that restricts the flow of current is resistance. Resistance is a measure of the opposition that a circuit presents to the flow of electric current. It is typically measured in ohms and plays a crucial role in determining how much current will flow through a circuit for a given voltage, according to Ohm's law, which states that current (I) equals voltage (V) divided by resistance (R).

In practical terms, a higher resistance means that less current will flow for the same voltage level, effectively controlling the current in the circuit. This is vital in various applications, from ensuring the safe operation of devices to controlling the behavior of circuits in electronics.

While voltage represents the electrical potential that drives current through a circuit and capacitance and inductance relate to how circuits react to changes in voltage and current over time, they do not serve the primary role of restricting current flow in the same direct manner that resistance does.