Understanding Ohm’s Law
Explore the fundamental relationship between Voltage, Current, and Resistance.
The Basics of Electricity
Electricity, at its simplest, involves the movement of electrons. To understand how circuits work, we focus on three fundamental quantities: Voltage (V), the ‘push’ or potential difference; Current (I), the flow rate of electrons; and Resistance (R), the opposition to that flow.
Introducing Ohm’s Law
Ohm’s Law, named after physicist Georg Ohm, describes the direct relationship between these three quantities. It states that the current flowing through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points, and inversely proportional to the resistance between them. This powerful relationship is expressed by the formula: V = I × R.
Ohm’s Law Calculator
Enter any two values to calculate the third, or use the sliders to see how changes affect the circuit.
Solve For:
This graph shows the relationship between Current and Voltage for the current Resistance value. Change Resistance above to see the slope change.
Where Do We See Ohm’s Law?
Ohm’s Law is not just for textbooks; it’s the bedrock of electrical engineering and appears in countless applications:
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Household Wiring: Engineers use Ohm’s Law to determine appropriate wire gauges and circuit breaker sizes to prevent overheating and ensure safety.
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Electronic Device Design: From your smartphone to your TV, Ohm’s Law is crucial for designing circuits that deliver the correct voltage and current to components.
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Automotive Systems: It helps in understanding battery discharge, starter motor current, and headlight brightness based on the voltage and resistance.
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Power Transmission: Ohms law is a fundamental concept used in almost every design.
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