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Product of sine wave voltage and current has always the same shape. However , depending of phase (power factor), height of this product is different. A ctually this height is active power, while it's square counterpart is react ive power. It can now be simulated on:
I do not believe you have it quite correct. Many low power factor application end up with current and voltage waveforms that are not sinusoidal. Indeed, applications such as charged capacitors for high power laser start a charging cycle with low power factor and increase PF as the charge voltage increases. Rectification can produce waveforms that are very different from sinusoidal.
Active power is what is actually used in the process. Reactive power is power that is sent into the load but is sent back to the source during another part of the cycle.
If you are able to keep a sinusoidal voltage for a single phase load, all harmonic power is reactive power.
He's dealing only with purely sinusoidal cases as done in most >30 year old elementary circuit texts. This has been, in the past, satisfactory for most loads- i.e. those with negligible harmonic content. Since then there has been a drastic increase in large harmonic generation sources and loads-so- a different definition to take into account harmonics had to be considered.
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