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'''Ohm's law''' is the name of the relationship between [[current density]] and [[electric field]] of some materials (especially metals), discovered by [[Georg Simon Ohm]] in 1826. The law states that at a given temperature and given certain materials, the current density <math>\vec J</math> in a [[conductor]] is almost directly proportional to the electric field <math>\vec E</math>. In addition, the [[ratio]] of the magnitudes <math>E</math> and <math>J</math> is constant.  
'''Ohm's law''' is the name of the relationship between an electric current ''I''  flowing through a conductor and the voltage difference ''V'' causing the current,
:<math>
V = I R,\,
</math>
where ''R'' is the [[resistance]] of the conductor. The law was discovered by [[Georg Simon Ohm]] in 1826.
 
Later the law was generalized to the proportionality of [[current density]] <math>\vec J</math> and [[electric field]] <math>\vec E</math> that is observed in many materials (especially metals),
:<math>
J_\alpha = \sum_{\beta=x,y,z} \sigma_{\alpha \beta}\, E_\beta, \qquad\alpha=x,y,z .
</math>
The symmetric [[tensor]] '''&sigma;''' is the [[conductivity]] tensor, which in general depends on  temperature and is specific for the material. For homogeneous and isotropic materials  the tensor is a  real number &sigma;<sub>0</sub> times a 3&times;3 [[identity matrix]]). The scalar &sigma;<sub>0</sub> is the [[conductivity coefficient]] of the material.


== Resistivity ==
== Resistivity ==

Revision as of 09:50, 28 August 2009

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Ohm's law is the name of the relationship between an electric current I flowing through a conductor and the voltage difference V causing the current,

where R is the resistance of the conductor. The law was discovered by Georg Simon Ohm in 1826.

Later the law was generalized to the proportionality of current density and electric field that is observed in many materials (especially metals),

The symmetric tensor σ is the conductivity tensor, which in general depends on temperature and is specific for the material. For homogeneous and isotropic materials the tensor is a real number σ0 times a 3×3 identity matrix). The scalar σ0 is the conductivity coefficient of the material.

Resistivity

Ohm's law is used to define the resistivity of a material or a conductor. The equation for Ohm's law is



where is the resistivity of the material.

Ohm's law in circuit theory

In circuit theory, Ohm's law often refers to the relationship between voltage, current and resistance. This relationship is mathematically expressed as



where is the resistance of the conductor, is the potential difference between the ends of the conductor and is the current through the conductor.

The validity of the equation requires that the resistance of the conductor is constant, implying that the resistivity is constant. While a resistor is an ohmic conductor, a semiconductor diode is not as its resistance varies with the voltage applied.

References

  • H.D. Young & R.A. Freedman (2004). University Physics 11th Edition. International Edition. Addison Wesley, ISBN 0-321-20469-7