Answer to Question #151998 in Electric Circuits for Sneha

Question

What is resistance

Answer 1

Solution:

Resistance may be a measure of the opposition to the current stream in an electrical circuit. Resistance is measured in ohms, symbolized by the Greek letter omega (Ω).

Resistance estimations are ordinarily taken to show the condition of a component or a circuit.

• The higher the resistance, the lower the current flow. If abnormally high, one possible cause (among many) could be damaged conductors due to burning or corrosion. All conductors give off some degree of heat, so overheating is an issue often associated with resistance.
• The lower the resistance, the higher the current flow. Possible causes: insulators damaged by moisture or overheating.

"Resistance" may sound negative, but in electricity, it can be used beneficially.

Examples: Current must struggle to flow through the small coils of a toaster, enough to generate heat that browns bread. Old-style incandescent light bulbs force current to flow through filaments so thin that light is generated.