What is the reactance of a rheostat?
In theory, a rheostat has only resistance. It lacks any
capactive or inductive properties, and, therefore, has no
reactance. In practice, a rheostat, which is like a potentiometer
without a "third" terminal. One of the ends (terminals) of a
potentiometer, if it is removed entirelym will leave a two-terminal
device called a rheostat, or variable resistor.
In practice, all similar devices have some distributed
capacitance and inductance associated with them. The construction
of the device as well as the materials out of which it is made (as
well as the operating frequency) will determine how much reactance
the device has.