Ohm's Law

Given any two of voltage U, current I, resistance R, solve the third and output power P=UI (DC).

Inputs

Formula

U = I·R; I = U/R; R = U/I; P = U·I
UIRU = I × R
Ohm's Law schematic

Fundamentals

Ohm's law is the most basic circuit relation, linking voltage, current and resistance linearly.

$U=IR$: voltage equals current times resistance. Any two give the third; power $P=UI=I^2R=U^2/R$.

History

Ohm published his law in 1827; at first disputed, it became the basis of circuit analysis.

Engineering applications

Used in circuit design, voltage-current-resistance calculation and fault diagnosis.

Glossary

Voltage $U$Potential difference (V).
Current $I$Charge per unit time (A).
Resistance $R$Opposition to current (Ω).

How to use

  1. Fill in Voltage U, Current I, Resistance R in the Inputs section (watch the unit on each field).
  2. Click Calculate; the tool evaluates the formula shown above.
  3. Read Voltage U, Current I, Resistance R, Power P in the results area.
Formula notesOhm's law U = I·R; hence I = U/R, R = U/I. Power P = U·I = I²·R = U²/R.

Formula · Worked Example · Knowledge

Formula

At constant temperature, voltage and current of a linear resistor are proportional — Ohm's law:
$$U=I\cdot R\quad\Rightarrow\quad I=\frac{U}{R},\quad R=\frac{U}{I}$$
Power can be written as:
$$P=U\cdot I=I^{2}R=\frac{U^{2}}{R}$$
Conductance $G=1/R$ in siemens (S).

Worked Example

Given $I=2.5\ \text{A}$, $R=4\ \Omega$.

Step 1 — voltage: $U=I\times R=2.5\times4=10\ \text{V}$.
Step 2 — power: $P=U\times I=10\times2.5=25\ \text{W}$ (or $P=I^{2}R=2.5^{2}\times4=25\ \text{W}$).

Key Points

  • The $I$–$V$ curve is a line through the origin with slope $G$; heating raises resistivity (non-linear).
  • Keep units consistent: V, A, Ω; common prefixes mA, μA, kΩ, MΩ.
  • Normalize magnitudes first (mA→A, kΩ→Ω) before calculating.

Parameters

Inputs

ParameterSymbolUnitDefault
Voltage U (V)UV12
Current I (A)IA0
Resistance R (Ω)RΩ6

Outputs

ResultSymbolUnit
Voltage UUV
Current IIA
Resistance RRΩ
Power PPW

Applications

  • Common engineering use cases

FAQ

What formula does this tool use?
This tool computes per ISO / AGMA / ASME standard formulas: U = I·R; I = U/R; R = U/I; P = U·I
How accurate are the results?
Results match input precision, based on SI units and common engineering approximations; for critical duty re-check with a safety factor.
Where is it used?
Common engineering use cases