Variable Resistor
Variable Resistor - Related Videos
11:34
Series and Parallel Resistors
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2023
Source: Yong P. Chen, PhD, Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN This experiment demonstrates how current is distributed in resistors connected in series or parallel, and thus describes how to calculate the total "effective" resistance. Using Ohm's law, it possible to convert between the voltage and current through a resistance, if the resistance is known. For two resistors connected in series, (meaning that they are wired one after the...
01:10
Resistors In Series
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2023
A resistor is an ohmic device that limits the flow of charge in a circuit. Most circuits have more than one resistor. If several resistors are connected together and connected to a battery, the current supplied by the battery depends on the equivalent resistance of the circuit. The equivalent resistance of a combination of resistors depends on both their individual values and how they are connected. The simplest combination of resistors is the series combination. In a series circuit, the...
01:18
Combination Of Resistors
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2023
Electrical devices in any circuit can be connected either by series or parallel connections. Additionally, circuits can be connected involving both of these connections, known as combination or complex circuits. As these circuits have complex resistor connections, it is necessary to identify different parts as either series or parallel connections, then the whole combination of series and parallel resistors can be reduced to a single equivalent resistance. With the known equivalent resistance...
01:23
Resistors In Parallel
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2023
Resistors are in parallel when one end of all the resistors are connected to a continuous wire of negligible resistance and the other end of all the resistors are also connected to one another through a continuous wire of negligible resistance. In the case of a parallel configuration, the potential drop across each resistor is the same. Current through each resistor can be found using Ohm’s law, I = V/R, where the voltage is constant across each resistor. The sum of the individual currents...
01:31
Resistor in an AC Circuit
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2023
An alternating emf or voltage source is needed to supply an alternating current (AC) to a circuit. A coil of wire rotating in a magnetic field at a constant angular speed represents such a source. It also generates a sinusoidal alternating emf and serves as an industrial alternator. One-way current through the meter is measured using diodes. A diode is a device with better conductivity in one direction compared to the other; in its ideal state, it has zero resistance in one direction and allows...
FAQs
The adjustment changes how much resistive material remains in the current path. A longer effective path presents greater resistance, while a shorter path presents less. This changes the circuit’s response under the same electrical conditions, allowing experiments to examine how resistance affects current, voltage, and power rather than treating those quantities as fixed.
The same adjustable component can serve different circuit purposes depending on how it is connected. As a potentiometer, it provides adjustable voltage division between circuit points. As a rheostat, it is used to control current through a circuit path. This distinction lets one component support both voltage-adjustment and current-control applications.
Changing the resistance setting changes the circuit conditions that determine current and voltage, and those changes affect electrical power. Increasing the effective resistance generally restricts current in a current-control arrangement, while decreasing it permits more current. Studying these adjustments helps connect variable-resistor behavior with Ohm’s law and power relationships in physics.
Place the adjustable component in a circuit, vary its setting, and observe how the circuit’s current or voltage changes. Recording several settings creates conditions for comparing resistance with electrical behavior. The resulting observations help demonstrate that circuit quantities respond systematically to resistance changes, providing a practical way to investigate Ohm’s law.
A potentiometer connection is useful when a circuit needs an adjustable voltage rather than simple on-or-off operation. Moving the contact changes the relative portions of resistive material on either side, which changes the divided voltage available to the circuit. This makes the arrangement suitable for signal control and for adjusting circuit responses during experiments.
Adjustable resistance supports lighting control, sensor calibration, and signal control. In lighting, it permits changes in circuit behavior that alter the operating level. During sensor calibration, the adjustment helps match or test responses under different settings. For signals, it provides a way to tune electrical conditions, linking laboratory circuit principles with practical devices.