Ohm's Law is a fundamental principle in electrical engineering and physics that describes the relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R) in a closed electrical circuit. It was first formulated by the German physicist Georg Simon Ohm.
Ohm's Law can be mathematically represented as:
V = I * R
where:
V = Voltage (measured in volts, V)
I = Current (measured in amperes, A)
R = Resistance (measured in ohms, Ω)
According to Ohm's Law, in a closed circuit, the voltage across a conductor (e.g., a wire or a resistor) is directly proportional to the current flowing through it, with the proportionality constant being the resistance of the conductor.
In simpler terms, Ohm's Law states that:
The voltage (V) across a component is equal to the current (I) through the component multiplied by the resistance (R) of the component.
If you increase the voltage in a closed circuit, the current will increase proportionally, assuming the resistance remains constant.
If you increase the resistance in a closed circuit, given a constant voltage, the current will decrease proportionally.
If you decrease the resistance in a closed circuit, given a constant voltage, the current will increase proportionally.
It's important to note that Ohm's Law is valid for "ohmic" materials, which means materials that follow a linear relationship between voltage and current. For certain materials, such as semiconductors and diodes, the relationship between voltage and current is more complex and doesn't strictly adhere to Ohm's Law.