OHM’S LAW

RPGAMMAG@MAPUA.EDU.PH
LEARNING GOALS
How do charges move in a conductor?

What does resistivity mean?

How does an emf cause current to flow in a circuit?

MOVING CHARGES (ZERO FIELD)

Random motion of two charge carriers in a conductor in the absence of 𝐸

No net flow of charge: no current

MOVING CHARGES (WITH FIELD)

Motion of two charge carriers in a conductor in the presence of 𝐸

With net flow of charge: with current

CURRENT
- flow of positive charge (although the actual current is due to electrons)

Unit: 1 C/s = 1 A
RESISTANCE AND RESISTIVITY

𝑅 = resistance
𝜌 = resistivity (material property)
𝐿 = length
𝐴 = cross-sectional area
OHM’S LAW
1
𝐼= 𝑉
𝑅

Nonohmic devices have a

nonlinear current-voltage plot

Ohmic devices have a linear

current-voltage curve
EXAMPLE 1: EFIELD, VOLTAGE, RESISTANCE
A copper wire has a cross-sectional area of 8.20 × 10−7 m2. It
carries a current of 1.67 A. Find (a) the electric-field magnitude
in the wire; (b) the potential difference between two points in the
wire 50.0 m apart; (c) the resistance of a 50.0-m length of this
wire. Copper has a resistivity 𝜌 of 1.72 × 10−8 Ω ⋅m.
ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE
- not a force but a potential difference (voltage)
- drives the current to flow from lower to higher potential
- e.g. batteries, electric generators, solar cells, fuel cells
Ideal emf

Real emf has internal resistance

SYMBOLS FOR CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS
Conductor with negligible resistance

Resistor

emf source

emf source with internal resistance

(r can be placed on either side)

Voltmeter (measures potential difference

between two points)

Ammeter (measures current through a

single point)
EXAMPLE 2: AN EMF AND A RESISTOR
What are the voltmeter and
ammeter readings 𝑉𝑎𝑏 and 𝐼?
POTENTIAL RISES AND DROPS
ENERGY AND POWER IN CIRCUITS

𝑃 = 𝐼𝑉

𝑉 2
𝑃 = 𝐼𝑉 = 2
𝐼 𝑅 =
𝑅