Ohm’s Law

LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
• State that resistance = Voltage/ current
• Use the equation R = V / I
• Relate (without calculation) the resistance
of a wire to its length and to its diameter
Circuit Analogy
 Circuit Analogy
• The pipe is the counterpart of the wire in the electric circuit.
• The pump is the mechanical counterpart of the battery.
• The pressure generated by the pump, that drives the water through the pipe, is like the
voltage generated by the battery to drive the electrons through the circuit.
• The seashells plug up the pipe and constrict the flow of the water creating a pressure
difference from one end to the other. In a similar manner the resistance in the electric
circuit resists the flow of electricity and creates a voltage drop from one end to the
other. Energy is lost across the resistor and shows up as heat.
Whenever a current flows
around an electrical circuit
there is resistance to the
electrons.
 Whenever a current flows
around an electrical circuit
there is resistance to the
electrons.

Copper connecting wire is a Nichrome is not such a good

good conductor, it offers little conductor, it has a bigger
resistance to the electrons, resistance to the electrons,
and a current passes through and less current will flow.
it easily.
 Resistance
(V) Electric potential difference (voltage- like a battery) is
necessary for current to flow.
(Electric Pressure).
(I) Current is the flow of electrons through a circuit.

(R) Resistance discourages or controls the flow.

It is caused by “things” that get in the way of a direct path.

The resistance of a conductor (like a wire) is the ratio of the

potential difference applied to the circuit and the current that
flows through it…
Ohm’s Law
A 19th Century scientist
who first investigated
the electrical
properties of wires, and
the relationship
between V, I and R

I (the symbol for current) = “intensite du courant”

 Ohm’s Law
How current
varies with voltage
(PD) for a metal
conductor.
Circuit diagram:
battery

Variable
Ammeter
resistor

A
Voltmeter

Water bath
to keep
Nichrome
nichrome at
wire
constant
temperature
Ohm’s Law

1. A graph of current against

voltage is a straight line
through the origin.
2. If the voltage doubles then
the current doubles, etc
3. In this experiment, V/I
always has the same value.
Current is proportional to the voltage.

Current Voltage
Ohm’s Law
Provided temperature is
constant

1. A graph of current against

voltage is a straight line
through the origin.
2. If the voltage doubles then
the current doubles, etc
3. In this experiment, V/I
always has the same value.
Current is proportional to the voltage.

Current Voltage
Remember, remember ……….. The equation
linking V, I and R

V = I x R

V I = V / R

I R R = V / I
 Try this…
A student measures a current of .10 A flowing through a light
bulb connected by short wires to a 12 V battery.
What is the resistance of the light bulb?

R=V
I
R = 12 V
.10 A
R = 120 Ω
 Try this…

A lamp with a resistance of 20 Ω is in a circuit that has a

current of .05 A flowing through it. What is the potential
difference across the lamp?

R=V V=IR
I
V = (.05 A)(20 Ω)
IR=VI V=1V
I

V=IR
 Factors
affecting
resistance.
 Length
Factors
of wire
affecting
resistance.

Factors Cross
Temperature affecting sectional
resistance area

Material
 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

For metal conductors, resistance

increases with temperature. For
semi-conductors, it decreases
with temperature.
 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

For metal conductors, resistance

increases with temperature. For
semi-conductors, it decreases
with temperature.

When a current flows through a wire,

resistance causes a heating effect.
This principle is used in heating
elements and in filament light bulbs.
 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Electrons collide with

atoms as they pass
through conductors,
losing energy. The atoms
For metal conductors, resistance vibrate more, causing a
increases with temperature. For heating effect

semi-conductors, it decreases
with temperature.

When a current flows through a wire,

resistance causes a heating effect.
This principle is used in heating
elements and in filament light bulbs.
 Temperature

Factors Length Factors

affecting
Cross
sectional
affecting
of wire area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Wires A and B have the same cross-

A sectional area and are at the same
temperature. Wire B is twice as
B long as wire A, and has twice the
resistance.
 Temperature

Factors Length Factors

affecting
Cross
sectional
affecting
of wire area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Wires A and B have the same cross-

A sectional area and are at the same
temperature. Wire B is twice as
B long as wire A, and has twice the
resistance.

Resistance length
Resistance is directly proportional to length
 Temperature

Factors Cross
sectional
Factors
affecting Length
affecting area
resistance of wire

resistance.

Material

Wires A and B have the same length

A and are at the same temperature.
Wire B is twice the cross-sectional
area of A, and has half the
B resistance.
 Temperature

Factors Cross
sectional
Factors
affecting Length
affecting area
resistance of wire

resistance.

Material

Wires A and B have the same length

A and are at the same temperature.
Wire B is twice the cross-sectional
area of A, and has half the
B resistance.

Resistance 1 (area = cross-sectional area)

area
 Temperature

Factors Material
Factors
affecting Length
affecting resistance of wire

resistance.
Cross
sectional
area

Some wires have much more

resistance for a given length. For
example a 10cm length of nichrome
has a much higher resistance than
copper of the same length and
cross-sectional area. Nichrome is
said to have a higher resistivity.
 Temperature

Factors Material
Factors
affecting Length
affecting resistance of wire

resistance.
Cross
sectional
area

Some wires have much more Typical resistivity (Ω/m)

resistance for a given length. For Constantan 49 x 10-8
example a 10cm length of nichrome
has a much higher resistance than Manganin 44 x 10-8
copper of the same length and Nichrome 100 x 10-8
cross-sectional area. Nichrome is Tungsten 55 x 10-8
said to have a higher resistivity.
The Greek letter rho (ρ) is the
resistivity constant for any given
material)
 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Combining the resistance equations

 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Combining the resistance equations

Resistance length
area
 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Combining the resistance equations

R = ρ x l
A

Resistance length
area
 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Combining the resistance equations

R = ρ x l
A

Resistance length ρ = R x A
area l
 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Combining the resistance equations

R = ρ x l
Comparing different wires, A and B, made from the
A
same material (so ρ is the same for each wire)
at the same temperature.

ρ = R x A
l
 Length
of wire

Factors Factors Cross

affecting sectional
affecting
Temperature
area
resistance
resistance.

Material

Combining the resistance equations

R = ρ x l
Comparing different wires, A and B, made from the
A
same material (so ρ is the same for each wire)
at the same temperature.

ρ = R x A
ResistanceA x AreaA = ResistanceB x AreaB
LengthA LengthB
l
 • Understand that electric

And finally …
circuits transfer energy
from the battery or power
source to the circuit
components then into the
surroundings

Chemical energy is
transformed into potential P = I x V
energy in the electrons, and

P
in the bulb this is changed
into thermal (heat) energy. V = P/I
The rate at which energy is
I = P/V
transformed is known as
POWER. The unit of power
is the watt (W).
I V
1 kilowatt (kW) = 1000 watts
 • Understand that electric

And finally …
circuits transfer energy
from the battery or power
source to the circuit
components then into the
surroundings

2200W (2.2kW)

450W
11W

80W
 Supplement
And finally …

Recall and use

the equations P
= IV and E = IVt
 Supplement
And finally …
Power = energy transformed
time taken

Recall and use

the equations P
= IV and E = IVt
 Supplement
And finally …
Power = energy transformed
time taken

P = E
Recall and use
the equations P
= IV and E = IVt
t
 Supplement
And finally …
Power = energy transformed
time taken

P = E
Recall and use
the equations P
= IV and E = IVt
t

E =P x t
 Supplement
And finally …
Power = energy transformed
time taken

P = E
Recall and use
the equations P
= IV and E = IVt
t

E =IxV x t E =P x t
 Supplement
And finally …
Power = energy transformed
time taken

P = E
Recall and use
the equations P
= IV and E = IVt
t

E =IxV x t E =P x t

Joules per second


Core
•State that the e.m.f. of an electrical source
of energy is measured in volts
• State that the potential difference (p.d.)
across a circuit component is measured in
volts
• Use and describe the use of a voltmeter,
both analogue and digital
• State that resistance = p.d. / current and
understand qualitatively how changes in
p.d. or resistance affect current
• • Recall and use the equation R = V / I
• • Describe an experiment to determine
resistance using a voltmeter and an
ammeter
• Relate (without calculation) the resistance
of a wire to its length and to its diameter
• Understand that electric circuits transfer
energy from the battery or power source
to the circuit components then into the
surroundings
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
Supplement
• Show understanding that e.m.f. is
defined in terms of energy supplied by a
source in driving charge round a
complete circuit
• Recall that 1 V is equivalent to 1 J / C
• Sketch and explain the current-voltage
characteristic of an ohmic resistor and
a filament lamp
• • Recall and use quantitatively the
proportionality between resistance and
length, and the inverse proportionality
between resistance and cross-sectional
area of a wire
• Recall and use the equations P = IV and
E = IVt
PHYSICS – Electrical quantities (2)