Question

what is the difference b/w an inductor and a solenoid?

Answer 1

Inductor - a coil of wire, which have significantinductance at a relatively small capacity and low active resistance.
Solenoid - is a coil wound into a tightly packed helix.Refers specifically to a long, thin loop of wire, often wrapped around a
metallic core, which produces a uniform magnetic field in a volume of space
when an electric current is passed through it.
So, inductors - a large class of electrical devices.Solenoid is specific electrical device, that refers to inductors