Ohm's Law Calculator

Inputs

V
A
Ω

R = V / I — calculated from the values you entered. Clear one of those to edit this instead.

W

P = V × I — calculated from the values you entered. Clear one of those to edit this instead.

The circuit, live

12 V6 Ω24 W2 A

12 volts pushes 2 amps through 6 ohms, dissipating 24 watts — the bulb is glowing brightly.

Results

Voltage (V)

12

Current (A)2
Resistance (Ω)6
Power (W)24
Formulas UsedR = V / I, P = V × I
StatusSolved

The V-I-R-P wheel

Using V and I — the highlighted formulas are the ones being applied.

VVolts
12V
  • V = I × R
  • V = P / I
  • V = √(P × R)

you entered

IAmps
2A
  • I = V / R
  • I = P / V
  • I = √(P / R)

you entered

ROhms
6Ω
  • R = V / I
  • R = V² / P
  • R = P / I²

calculated

PWatts
24W
  • P = V × I
  • P = V² / R
  • P = I² × R

calculated

Ohm's law

  1. 1.Divide volts by amps
    R=122=6

    This is the definition of resistance rather than a consequence of it: an ohm IS one volt per amp. Dividing the two you measured gives the resistance that must be present.

  2. 2.Multiply volts by amps for power
    P=12×2=24

    A volt is a joule per coulomb and an amp is a coulomb per second, so their product is joules per second — watts. The charge unit cancels, which is why the multiplication is dimensionally allowed at all.

Where the units go

  • volts ÷ amps AΩ
  • volts × amps CW
Georg Ohm published the proportionality between current and voltage after measuring it on wires of varying length, using a thermocouple for a steady source. The work was poorly received at first — his own ministry considered it insufficiently rigorous.
Georg Simon Ohm, Die galvanische Kette, mathematisch bearbeitet, Berlin·1827