When inductors are connected in parallel in an electrical circuit, they are arranged in multiple branches, each with its own individual path for current flow. In this configuration, the total inductance of the combination is different from the individual inductance values, and the calculation is a bit more involved than with inductors in series.

The formula for finding the total inductance (L_total) of inductors in parallel is the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of the individual inductances:

1 / L_total = (1 / L₁) + (1 / L₂) + (1 / L₃) + … + (1 / Ln)

Where: - L_total is the total inductance of the parallel combination. - L₁, L₂, L₃, … , Ln are the individual inductances of the inductors in parallel.

When inductors are connected in parallel, the total inductance decreases. This is because each branch provides a separate path for current, and the magnetic fields generated by the inductors do not reinforce each other as they do in series. As a result, the total inductance in parallel is less than any individual inductance in the parallel combination.

In practical applications, inductors are often connected in parallel to achieve a combined lower inductance value. This can be useful when specific inductance values are needed for various components or for impedance matching in certain circuits.

It's also important to note that inductors connected in parallel will create a lower total resistance compared to inductors in series because the parallel arrangement reduces the overall resistance in the circuit. The total impedance in the parallel combination is found by combining the inductive reactances and the resistances using the Pythagorean theorem:

Z_total = √(R_total² + (XL₁² + XL₂² + XL₃² + … + XLn²))

Where: - Z_total is the total impedance of the parallel combination. - R_total is the total resistance in the parallel circuit. - XL₁, XL₂, XL₃, … , XLn are the inductive reactances of the individual inductors.