What component is commonly used to limit the amount of current in a circuit?

A resistor is commonly used to limit the amount of current in a circuit due to its fundamental property of resisting the flow of electrical current. When a voltage is applied across a resistor, it creates a voltage drop proportional to the amount of current flowing through it, according to Ohm's law (V = I × R). This means that by adjusting the resistance, you can effectively control and limit the current that passes through the circuit.

In contrast, capacitors and inductors serve different functions; capacitors store electrical energy and release it, while inductors store energy in a magnetic field when current passes through them. Transistors can control current but do so through switching and amplification rather than by purely resisting current flow. Hence, among these components, the resistor is the most direct and straightforward means of limiting current in a circuit.