Ohms Law - Simon Ohms Experiment and

Results
Ohm's Law deals with the relationship between voltage and current in an ideal conductor. This
relationship states that: The potential difference (voltage) across an ideal conductor is
proportional to the current through it. The constant of proportionality is called the "resistance",
R.

Ohms Law Statement

Ohm's law states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly
proportional to the voltage across the two points. Introducing the constant of proportionality, the
resistance, one arrives at the usual mathematical equation that describes this relationship:

I = V/R

where I is the current through the conductor in units of amperes,

V is the voltage measured across the conductor in units of volts,
R is the resistance of the conductor in units of ohms.

More specifically, Ohm's law states that the R in this relation is constant, independent of the
current.

Georg Simon Ohm

Georg Simon Ohm a german physicist investigated the relation between current and voltage in a
resistor and published his experimental results in 1827.

Georg Simon Ohm (16 March 1789 6 July 1854) was a German physicist and mathematician. As a
school teacher, Ohm began his research with the new electrochemical cell, invented by Italian
scientist Alessandro Volta.

Using equipment of his own creation, Ohm found that there is a direct proportionality between the
potential difference (voltage) applied across a conductor and the resultant electric current. This
relationship is known as Ohm's law.

Ohms Experiment
A d.c. variable supply voltage is connected with positive terminal at point a and negative terminal
at 'b' as shown. As voltage is increased, the current recorded by the ammeter increases. For
every voltage value the current is recorded and the corresponding point is plotted on the
rectangular graph. With this a straight line graph passing through origin is obtained in first
quadrant.
Next the terminals of the variable dc supply are interchanged i.e. a is connected to -ve polarity of de
supply and b is connected to +ve polarity of de suply. Since both the voltmeter and ammeter are
moving coil, their individual connection should also be interchanged so that meters can read up
scale.

This has been done to reverse the direction of flow of current through the resister R. Again the
voltage is varied and corresponding to each voltage, current is recorded and the pairs of V and I
are plotted in the third quadrant.

Experiment Results
The experimental results indicate that there is a linear relationship between the current and
voltage both in the first and third quadrant. The slope of straight line is also same in both the
quadrants which shows that the potential difference across the terminals of the conductor is
proportional to the current passing through it i.e. V I.

Also it is found that for a constant current in the conductor resistance should be changed
proportional to the potential difference i.e. V R.

Combining the two proportionalities, we have

V IR

or V= kIR

where k is a constant of proportionality. However, the units of voltage, current and resistance are
defined so that the value of k = 1. When the current is 1 amp, voltage 1 volt, the resistance is 1 .

1=k.1.1

Thus the equation becomes

V= IR

The equation explains ohm's law which is stated as follows :

The resistances which Ohm considered are linear i.e. the resistances which have
linear V-I characteristic. Also, these are bilateral i.e. irrespective of direction of flow
of current theresistance does not charge.
 Physical condition (Temperature, Pressure etc.) of the conductor remaining
constant, the voltage across the terminals of a conductor is proportional to the
current flowing through it.

electric current through any conductor is directly

proportional to voltage(potential difference)applied
between the ends of the conductor at constant temperature.
current I is directly proportional to V(here V=v1-v2 if v1
is greater than v2,here v1&v2 are voltages at the ends of
the conductor)
I=V/R
i.e, V=IR

According to Ohms Law, at Constant Temperature,the voltage

across the conductor is directly proportional to the
current flowing through the conductor.ie,
V=I*R & inversly propotional resistance

in any electrical closed circuit, "the current is directly

proportonal to the applied voltage,and inverseiy
proportional to the resistance, when all physical
conditions are constant(i.e.,temperature)".

where,V is the voltage across the conductor ,

I is the current flowing through the conductor,and
R is the resistance of the conductor

whereas,
V is the voltage across the conductor,
I is the current flowing through the conductor,
R is the resistance of the conductor.

t defines the linear element