A resistor in a circuit impedes the flow of electrons and drawsenergy from the circuit. That is what an electric device is, and ona circuit diagram the zig-zag line is clean and nonspecific. Italso signifies a place in a circuit where there is a power takeoffthat can be utilized, like a plug or a wiring harness for amachine.However for some devices (e.g. electric motors) that havereactance as well as resistance representation by just a resistormay not be sufficient to predict their behaviour in the circuit. Insuch cases the representation would have to include inductorsand/or capacitors as well as resistors.