Ohm's Law: The Foundation of Every Circuit
If electronics were a cooking recipe, Ohm's Law would be the main ingredient. Without it, we cannot
safely design any device, not even a simple blinking LED with an Arduino.
The Three Pillars of Electricity
Ohm's Law tells us how three basic physical parameters are interconnected:
- Voltage (V): Measured in Volts [V]. Imagine it as water pressure in
a pipe.
- Current (I): Measured in Amperes [A]. This is the speed at which electrons
move through the circuit.
- Resistance (R): Measured in Ohms [Ω]. This is the obstacle that resists the
flow of current.
The easiest way to remember the formula is with the help of the triangle in the image above:
- If you are looking for Voltage: $V = I \cdot R$
- If you are looking for Current: $I = V / R$
- If you are looking for Resistance: $R = V / I$
Interactive Calculator
You don't have to struggle with manual calculations. Enter exactly two values into the fields
below, and the tool will calculate the third one automatically. Important: Enter only numbers
into the fields (no V, A, or Ω symbols). Use a period for decimal numbers (e.g., 0.02).
- Voltage: Enter only the value in Volts (e.g.,
5 or 12).
- Current: Enter the value in Amperes. If you have milliamperes, convert them (e.g., enter 20 mA as
0.02).
- Resistance: Enter only Ohms (e.g.,
220 or 1000 for 1 kΩ).