How you should be

thinking about
electric circuits:

Voltage: a force that

pushes the current
through the circuit (in
this picture it would be
equivalent to gravity)
How you should be
thinking about
electric circuits:

Resistance: friction that

impedes flow of current
through the circuit
(rocks in the river)
How you should be
thinking about
electric circuits:

Current: the actual

“substance” that is
flowing through the
wires of the circuit
(electrons!)
 Resistance
• Resistance: opposes the push from the
voltage source. Resistance affects the
speed of the current.

• Symbol for Resistance = R

• Unit for Resistance = Ohms (Ώ)
 Georg Ohm (1789 – 1854)
• German physicist
• Ohm determined that there
is a direct proportionality
between the voltage
applied across a conductor
and the electric current.
• This relationship is known
as Ohm's law.
 Ohm’s Law
I=V/R

I = Current (Amperes) (amps)

V = Voltage (Volts)

R = Resistance (ohms)

Georg Simon Ohm (1787-1854)

 Voltage and Current
• If the voltage in a circuit increases,
the current will increase.
• If the voltage in a circuit decreases,
the current will decrease.
• This is a direct/proportional
relationship.
 Resistance and Current
• If the resistance in a circuit
increases, the current will
decrease.
• If the resistance in a circuit
decreases, the current will
increase.
• This is an inversely proportional
relationship.
 Ohm’s Law
• State the relationship
between current, voltage, and
resistance.
• German physicist George
Ohm had the law named after
him, because of his extensive
research.
 Ohm’s Law
Voltage is equal to the current multiplied by
the resistance.
Current, measured
Voltage, in Amps, A
measured in
Volts, V

V=IR Resistance,
measured in
Ohms, Ω
 Ohm’s Law Examples…
• If you want to find Voltage in
Volts:
V = IR
If I= 1 A and R = 2 Ohms
Then, V= (2A)(5Ω) = 10 V
 Ohm’s Law Examples…
• If you want to find Voltage in
Volts:
V = IR
If I= 2 A and R = 5 Ohms
Then, V= (2A)(5Ω) = 10 V
 Examples…
• If you want to find Resistance
in Ohm’s:
R=V/I
If V = 8 Volts and I = 4 A
Then R = V(8)/I(R)= 2 Ω?
 Examples…
• If you want to find Current in
Amps:
I=V/R
If V= 140 V and R = 2Ω
Then, I = ?
 Examples…
• If you want to find Current in
Amps:
I=V/R
If V= 140 V and R = 2Ω
Then, I = ?
Examples…
 Examples…
• If you want to find Current in
Amps:
I=V/R
If V= 120 V and R = 6Ω
Then, I = ?
 Examples…
• If you want to find Resistance
in Ohm’s:
R=V/I
If V = 100 Volts and I = 5 A
Then R = V(8)/I(R)= 2 Ω?
 Examples…
• If you want to find Voltage in
Amps:
If I= 4 A and R = 55Ω
Then, V = ?
 ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS

All you need to be an inventor is a good

imagination and a pile of junk.
-Thomas Edison