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Ohm's Law Formula:
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Resistor voltage drop refers to the reduction in voltage that occurs when electric current flows through a resistor. According to Ohm's law, this voltage drop is directly proportional to both the current flowing through the resistor and its resistance value.
The calculator uses Ohm's law formula:
Where:
Explanation: The voltage drop represents the energy dissipated as heat when current flows through the resistor. This fundamental principle governs how resistors affect electrical circuits.
Details: Calculating voltage drop is essential for circuit design, power supply planning, component selection, and ensuring proper operation of electronic devices. It helps prevent excessive voltage loss in long wire runs and ensures components receive adequate voltage.
Tips: Enter current in amperes (A) and resistance in ohms (Ω). Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero. The calculator will compute the voltage drop across the resistor.
Q1: Why does voltage drop occur in resistors?
A: Voltage drop occurs because resistors convert electrical energy into heat energy, causing a reduction in electrical potential across the component.
Q2: What is the relationship between voltage drop and power dissipation?
A: Power dissipated by a resistor equals the voltage drop multiplied by the current (P = V × I), or alternatively P = I² × R.
Q3: How does voltage drop affect series circuits?
A: In series circuits, the sum of all voltage drops equals the source voltage (Kirchhoff's Voltage Law).
Q4: Can voltage drop be negative?
A: Voltage drop magnitude is always positive, but the polarity depends on the direction of current flow relative to the measurement reference.
Q5: What factors affect voltage drop in practical applications?
A: Temperature (affects resistance), wire length and gauge, connection quality, and frequency (for AC circuits) can all influence actual voltage drop.