What is a Resistor? - Definition from WhatIs.com (2024)

FAQs

What is a Resistor? - Definition from WhatIs.com? ›

A resistor is an electrical component that limits or regulates the flow of electrical current in an electronic circuit.

Resistor is defined as. A passive electrical component with two terminals that are used for either limiting or regulating the flow of electric current in electrical circuits. The main purpose of resistor is to reduce the current flow and to lower the voltage in any particular portion of the circuit.

The name itself mention it's function. Resistor is used to resistance the flow of current. When resistor is placed in a circuit, the current flow decreases when current passes through the resistor. The part of current energy dissipate in the form of heat in resistor, thus decrease the total current.

Resistor Basics

Resistors are electronic components which have a specific, never-changing electrical resistance. The resistor's resistance limits the flow of electrons through a circuit. They are passive components, meaning they only consume power (and can't generate it).

Common examples of resistors in practical usage include heating elements and incandescent light bulbs, where the energy emitted by the heating up of a resistance (the amount of resistance the resistor has) element is used for practical purposes.

A resistor works by restricting the flow of current, it can do this in one of three ways: firstly, by using a less conductive material, secondly by making the conductive material thinner and finally by making the conductive material longer.

A piece of pencil “lead” might be a substitute for a resistor — provided it's manufactured in such a way that it's actually conductive, and that you have some means to find out what length of it is necessary to provide the value you're looking for.

The greater the value of resistance, the higher the voltage drop across that resistor.

The resistor reduces the current, just like the narrow pipe reduces the flow rate.

Appliances such as electric heaters, electric ovens, and toasters all use resistors to turn current into heat, then using the heat lost from this resistor to warm the surrounding area.

What is the difference between a capacitor and a resistor? ›

Resistors convert electrical energy into heat that then dissipates. Capacitors are often used for filtering frequencies while keeping positive and negative charges separated. Capacitors may also be used to pass alternative current while blocking direct current.

Real batteries contain real conductors, and therefore exhibit their own bit of resistance. We refer to this as the internal resistance of the battery, and the resistance outside the battery is known as the load.

The reason a light bulb glows is that electricity is forced through tungsten, which is a resistor. The energy is released as light and heat. A conductor is the opposite of a resistor.

It doesn't matter! The resistor can go before – or after – the LED, and it will still protect it. the current that flows out of a battery is always equal to the current that flows back into the battery.

Voltage doesn't pass through a resistor, current does. When current pass through it a voltage is developed across the resistor according to the formula V=I*R where I is the current through it. So a 100 ohm resistor with . 1 amps flowing through it will develop a 10 volt drop across it (V=100*.

Resistance is the restriction of current. In a resistor the energy of the electrons that pass through the resistor are changed to heat and/or light. For example, in a light bulb there is a resistor made of tungsten which converts the electrons into light.

Resistors are passive electrical components that impede the amount of current flowing in a circuit. The property of materials to resist current is called resistance. The SI unit of resistance is the ohm, symbolized by the Greek letter omega, .

How to use resistor in a sentence. We have to be active, we have to stop the Vietnam War, we have to be resistors. More of the brigands in their electric resistors were advancing through the lightning bolts which crackled noisily. Variable resistors are also called resistance boxes and more often rheostats.