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10 Examples of Ohmโ€™s law

September 10, 2023
written by Qamar Zaman

Ohmโ€™s law states that the current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across the conductor and inversely proportional to the resistance of the conductor.

Ohmโ€™s Law governs current, voltage, and resistance in devices like phone chargers, circuits, electronics, wires, and insulators. It determines electrical power, safety limits, and battery life.

Examples of Ohms law

Ohmโ€™s Law describes the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in electrical circuits. Here are 10 real-world examples of Ohmโ€™s Law.

image showing the examples of ohms law

1. Phone Chargers

A very common example of Ohmโ€™s law is a phone charger. The voltage and resistance are fixed in a phone charger, determining the amount of current that can flow to charge your phone battery according to Ohmโ€™s Law.

2. Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers use Ohmโ€™s Law to calculate overcurrent conditions from voltage and resistance specs and trip the breaker when unsafe currents occur.

3. Electrical Power

The power dissipated in a resistor is calculated using current and resistance variables from Ohmโ€™s Law: P=I2R. More current and resistance means more power.

4. Electronics

Engineers use Ohmโ€™s Law to determine the right resistance values for resistors in electronic devices to achieve proper voltages and currents.

5. Electric Shock Hazards

Higher currents from Ohmโ€™s Law pose greater electric shock risks. Using lower voltages in wet areas reduces current flow through the bodyโ€™s resistance.

6. Lightbulb Brightness

A very common device that we observe in our daily lives is a lightbulb. A lightbulbโ€™s brightness depends on its resistance. Lower resistance bulbs draw more current for greater brightness based on Ohmโ€™s Law.

7. Battery Life

Batteries with lower internal resistance allow more current flow and usage. High internal resistance drains batteries faster per Ohmโ€™s Law.

8. Wire Gauges

We can determine the wire gauge with the help of Ohm law. Thicker wires have less resistance, allowing higher currents without overheating according to Ohmโ€™s Law limits.

9. Electric Fuses

An electric fuse is a very common example of ohm law. Fuses contain specific resistances designed to melt and break circuits when current exceeds desired levels as determined by Ohmโ€™s Law.

10. Insulators

Insulators limit current flow because they have extremely high resistance values. No conduction occurs according to V=IR.

Ohmโ€™s Law gives us the tools to engineer safer, more efficient electrical systems and components.

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