TOPIC 2 - Resistance and Ohm's law (basic knowledge)

0.0(0)
learnLearn
examPractice Test
spaced repetitionSpaced Repetition
heart puzzleMatch
flashcardsFlashcards
Card Sorting

1/16

Study Analytics
Name
Mastery
Learn
Test
Matching
Spaced

No study sessions yet.

17 Terms

1
New cards

Definition of resistance

Resistance is a measure of how difficult it is for charge to flow through a wire or component.

2
New cards

Measuring resistance

- Resistance has the symbol R
- The unit for resistance is Ohm's
- It has the unit symbol _

<p>- Resistance has the symbol R<br>- The unit for resistance is Ohm's<br>- It has the unit symbol _</p>
3
New cards

Recall the definition of current

Current is the rate of flow of charge.

4
New cards

Resistance is the...

opposition to the flow of current.

5
New cards

If a component has a high resistance...

it is harder for electrons to get through that component.

6
New cards

Therefore, if the resistance of a component is relatively high...

the current running through it (and anything in series with it) will be relatively low.

7
New cards

Recall the definition of voltage

Voltage is the amount of energy per coulomb of charge.

8
New cards

When each coulomb of charge passes through a component that has relatively high resistance, it transfers...

MORE energy to the component.

9
New cards

Therefore, if the RESISTANCE of a component is high...

- The energy transferred to it will be high
- The voltage across the component will be high

10
New cards

For any given component in a series or parallel circuit: As resistance goes up...

current goes down
- Current is INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL to resistance

11
New cards

For any given component in a series or parallel circuit: As resistance goes up...

voltage goes up
- Voltage is PROPORTIONAL to resistance

12
New cards

Describe the components that obey Ohm's law

- The temperature of some components DOES NOT increase when current increases.
- For these components, the resistance is FIXED (CONSTANT) for any value of voltage and current.
- They obey Ohm's law.

13
New cards

Explain why resistance increases when current increases

- Conductors consist of fixed positive ions and a sea of delocalized electrons.
- When the conductor is in a circuit, the electrons flow from the - end to the + end of the battery.
- If the conductor gets hotter as current increases, the fixed ions vibrate more.
- There are more collisions between the flowing electrons and ions.
- Therefore, the electrons find it harder to flow, and RESISTANCE INCREASES.

14
New cards

Resistors in series

The total resistance is the sum of the individual resistances.
(R = R1 + R2 + R3)

<p>The total resistance is the sum of the individual resistances. <br>(R = R1 + R2 + R3)</p>
15
New cards

Resistors in parallel

The total resistance is less than that of the smallest resistor.
- The more resistors you add in parallel, the smaller the total resistance becomes.
- This is because you are adding more branches for the charge to flow through.

16
New cards

Fixed resistors

Fixed resistors have a resistance that remains constant.

17
New cards

Variable resistors

- Variable resistors can change the resistance by changing the length of wire that makes up the circuit:
- A longer wire = more resistance