Ohm's Law is a fundamental principle in electrical engineering and physics that describes the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit. It's named after the German physicist Georg Simon Ohm, who formulated it in the 19th century.
Ohm's Law states that the current (I) flowing through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage (V) across the two points, while inversely proportional to the resistance (R) of the conductor. Mathematically, Ohm's Law can be expressed using the following equation:
I = V / R
Where:
I represents the current (measured in Amperes or Amps), which is the flow of electric charge through the circuit.
V represents the voltage (measured in Volts), which is the electrical potential difference between the two points in the circuit.
R represents the resistance (measured in Ohms), which is a measure of how much the conductor opposes the flow of current. Resistance can be influenced by factors such as the material, length, cross-sectional area, and temperature of the conductor.
In simpler terms, Ohm's Law tells us that the current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage applied across it, and it's inversely proportional to the resistance of the conductor. This relationship is a fundamental principle used in designing and analyzing electrical circuits, as it helps predict how changes in voltage, current, or resistance will affect the overall behavior of the circuit.
It's important to note that Ohm's Law is most applicable to linear, passive circuits that follow a linear relationship between voltage and current. In more complex circuits involving non-linear components like diodes or transistors, Ohm's Law may not hold true, and more advanced circuit analysis techniques are needed.