Real & reactive question

[Hrothgar]

What tests could be done to transform, store and compare the two forms of current? After all shouldn't we be able to devise strategies to measure the work they can do objectively?

[Allcanadian]

Ok I'll bite simply because no other person would touch this loaded question with a ten foot pole and I could hardly blame them, lol.

You are asking:

What tests could be done to transform, store and compare the two forms of current?

First there are not different forms of current there is one form defined as the motion of charges. If a charge moves this is defined as a current.
Power is (Volts x Amps) and Reactive Power is defined as Power which does no work (does not dissipate energy) while Real Power is defined as Power which does dissipate energy as real work.

Think of it this way, if I charged a capacitor from a battery then returned this power to the battery with no losses then I would call it Reactive Power.
If I charged a capacitor from a battery then returned the power to the battery but I lost some power along the way then the power I lost is Real Power.
Real power does work such as generating heat, turning a motor or lighting a light bulb.

After all shouldn't we be able to devise strategies to measure the work they can do objectively

Well this is like asking, if I have a pail of apples then how many oranges are there?. Again Real Power does Real Work and Reactive Power does not. You are asking how much work can Reactive power perform when it is defined as not doing any work.

I would brush up on the subject a bit, I know it took me a long time to get it all straight in my head but it's like riding a bicycle and once you have it you will never forget.

AC

[Dave45]

Pos Neg
Voltage Amperage

reactive power is bemf from the coil that is trapped and dissipated as heat, a coil that is hit from both sides as in alternating current will have bemf on both sides............reactive power.

When pos and neg combine they become neutral and disappear or at least do not register with our meters, separated become electricity.

The ether is a normally combined state of pos and neg charges to collect they have to be separated, although some are separated which is realized as static electricity.

[Duncan]