Calculate Current from Voltage Drop
How to Calculate Current
In an electrical circuit, current is a measure of the rate of flow of charged particles through a conductor. The unit of measurement for current is the ampere (often abbreviated as A).
To calculate the current flowing through a conductor, you can use Ohm's Law. This law states that the current flowing through a circuit element is directly proportional to the potential difference (also known as voltage) applied across it and inversely proportional to the resistance of the element.
Ohm's Law formula for calculating current is
I = V/R
where:
- I is the current flowing through the conductor in amperes (A),
- V is the potential difference or voltage across the conductor in volts (V),
- R is the resistance of the conductor in ohms (Ω).
In other words, the current I flowing through a conductor is equal to the voltage V across the conductor divided by the resistance R of the conductor.
Example Calculation
Suppose we have a circuit with a voltage $V = 12 volts and a resistance $R = 6 ohms. We can use Ohm's Law to calculate the current I:
I = V/R = 12/6 = 2 amp
Therefore, in this circuit, the current flowing through the conductor is 2 amperes.
By using this method, you can calculate the current in a circuit based on known values of voltage and resistance.