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 is named after the German physicist Georg Simon Ohm, who formulated the law in the 1820s.
Ohm's Law states that the current passing through a conductor (such as a wire) between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across those two points, provided the temperature and other physical conditions remain constant. Mathematically, Ohm's Law can be expressed as:
V = I * R
Where:
V is the voltage (measured in volts, V),
I is the current (measured in amperes, A),
R is the resistance (measured in ohms, Ω).
In this equation, voltage represents the electrical potential difference between two points in a circuit, current represents the flow of electric charge (i.e., electrons) through the circuit, and resistance is the opposition to the flow of current in the circuit.
According to Ohm's Law, if the resistance of a circuit remains constant, doubling the voltage across it will result in the doubling of the current. Conversely, reducing the voltage will lead to a decrease in current, given the resistance remains constant.
Ohm's Law is a crucial principle used in electrical and electronic design, as it allows engineers and technicians to calculate and predict various electrical parameters in a circuit and helps in ensuring the proper functioning and safety of electrical systems.