Ohm’s Law

What is Ohm’s Law? (The Core Concept)

Think of electricity flowing through a wire like water flowing through a pipe.

1. Voltage (V): This is the pressure that pushes the water (electricity) through the pipe. It’s measured in Volts.
2. Current (I): This is the amount or volume of water flowing through the pipe. It’s the flow of electrical charge, measured in Amps (Amperes).
3. Resistance (R): This is how narrow the pipe is. A narrow pipe resists the flow of water. Resistance slows down the flow of electricity and is measured in Ohms (Ω).

Ohm’s Law is the simple, fundamental relationship between these three things:

Voltage = Current × Resistance (or V = I × R)

The calculator in the Canvas is a tool that does this math for you. If you know any two of the values, it can find the third.

What Is The Calculator Used For?

This tool is fundamental for anyone working with electronics, from students to professional engineers. Its main uses are:

• Designing Circuits: If you know you need a certain amount of current (I) and you have a specific power source (V), the calculator tells you what resistance (R) you need to use. This is crucial for making sure components like LEDs don’t burn out.
• Troubleshooting: If a circuit isn’t working, an electrician can measure the voltage and resistance. If the current isn’t what the formula predicts, they know there’s a problem somewhere (like a broken wire or a faulty component).
• Safety Checks: The calculator can determine how much current will flow through a circuit. This is critical for choosing the right size wires and fuses to prevent overheating and fires.

How Ohm’s Law Applies to Your Daily Life

You see the effects of Ohm’s Law all the time, even if you don’t realize it:

• Electric Heaters & Toasters: The heating elements inside are basically just very large resistors. When your home’s voltage (V) pushes current (I) through this high resistance (R), a lot of heat is generated, which toasts your bread or warms the room.
• Light Bulb Dimmers: A dimmer switch works by increasing the resistance in the circuit. More resistance means less current can flow to the bulb, causing it to glow less brightly.
• Phone & Laptop Chargers: Your charger converts the high voltage from your wall outlet to a low voltage your device can handle. Ohm’s Law governs the internal circuits that ensure the correct, safe amount of current flows to your battery to charge it without causing damage.
• Fuses: A fuse is a thin wire with a specific resistance, designed to handle a maximum amount of current. If something goes wrong and the voltage surges, Ohm’s law tells us the current will also surge. This melts the fuse, breaking the circuit and protecting your valuable appliance from being destroyed