Ohm's Law Calculator

Select what you want to solve for, enter any two known values, and get the remaining quantities — Voltage, Current, Resistance, and Power — instantly.

Ohm's Law Calculator — V, I, R & Power

Solve for Voltage · Current · Resistance · Power using V = IR and P = IV

Solve for
— V
V
0 V240 V
— A
A
0 A100 A
— Ω
Ω
0 Ω1 kΩ
— W
W
0 W5 kW
Voltage
Volts (V)
Current
Amperes (A)
Resistance
Ohms (Ω)
Power
Watts (W)
V I × R
VoltageV = I × R
CurrentI = V ÷ R
ResistanceR = V ÷ I
PowerP = V × I
SI Units & Symbols
Voltage (V)VoltV
Current (I)AmpereA
Resistance (R)OhmΩ
Power (P)WattW

Solve Any Variable

Enter any two known quantities to instantly compute the other two — all four values update together.

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Includes Power

Power (P = V × I) is derived automatically alongside V, I, and R — covering AC & DC circuit basics.

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Educational Guide

Scroll down for a complete plain-English explanation of Ohm's Law, the triangle method, and real-world uses.

Understanding Ohm's Law

What is Ohm's Law? A Complete Beginner-to-Advanced Guide

Master the foundation of all electrical circuit analysis — from LED resistors to industrial power systems

What is Ohm's Law?

Ohm's Law is one of the most fundamental principles in electrical engineering and physics. Formulated by German physicist Georg Simon Ohm in 1827, it describes the relationship between three core electrical quantities: Voltage (V), Current (I), and Resistance (R). Simply put, Ohm's Law states that the current flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it and inversely proportional to its resistance.

This single law underpins the design of virtually every electronic device on the planet — from the charger on your phone to high-voltage industrial motors. Whether you are a student studying physics, an electronics hobbyist building circuits, or an engineer designing power systems, Ohm's Law is the starting point for all circuit analysis.

The Ohm's Law Formula

The core relationship can be expressed in three equivalent forms, each isolating a different unknown:

V = I × R   |   I = V ÷ R   |   R = V ÷ I
V = Voltage in Volts (V)  |  I = Current in Amperes (A)  |  R = Resistance in Ohms (Ω)

A helpful memory aid is the VIR Triangle (also called the Ohm's Law Magic Triangle): write V on top and I × R on the bottom. Cover the quantity you want to find and read the formula from the remaining two. Cover V → you get I × R. Cover I → you get V ÷ R. Cover R → you get V ÷ I.

Adding Power to the Equation

Electrical Power (P) measures how much energy is transferred per second. It is measured in Watts (W) and connects to Ohm's Law through the following relationships:

P = V × I   |   P = I² × R   |   P = V² ÷ R
P = Power in Watts (W). These are derived by substituting V = IR into P = VI.

Together, these twelve formulas (three for V, I, R and three more for P) form the complete Ohm's Law power wheel. This calculator handles all of them: enter any two values and it instantly resolves the remaining two.

Variations of Ohm's Law in Practice
Form 1
Finding Voltage

If you know the current through a resistor and its resistance value, multiply them: V = I × R. Example: 3 A through a 10 Ω resistor → 30 V drop.

Form 2
Finding Current

If you know the voltage source and resistance, I = V ÷ R. Example: a 9 V battery with a 100 Ω resistor draws 90 mA of current.

Form 3
Finding Resistance

If you know voltage and current, R = V ÷ I. Useful when selecting a current-limiting resistor for an LED or measuring an unknown component.

Real-World Applications of Ohm's Law
💡 LED Resistor Selection

LEDs require a current-limiting resistor. Use R = (V_supply − V_forward) ÷ I_LED to choose the right resistor value and protect the LED from burning out.

🔋 Battery & Charger Design

Charger engineers use Ohm's Law to calculate cable resistance losses, heat dissipation, and charging current limits to ensure safe and efficient designs.

🏭 Industrial Motor Circuits

Electricians calculate wire gauge and breaker ratings using I = P ÷ V to ensure wiring does not overheat under rated load conditions.

🔊 Audio & Speaker Systems

Amplifier output impedance must match speaker impedance for maximum power transfer — a direct application of Ohm's Law and the maximum power transfer theorem.

Limitations of Ohm's Law

Ohm's Law applies perfectly to ohmic conductors — materials like metals whose resistance stays constant regardless of voltage or current. However, it does not apply directly to:

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Semiconductors (diodes, transistors) — their resistance changes with voltage in a non-linear way. A diode's I–V curve is exponential, not linear.
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Electrolytes & gas discharge tubes — resistance varies with current density, temperature, and ionisation state.
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AC circuits with capacitors & inductors — these introduce reactance (frequency-dependent resistance). The broader concept of impedance (Z) extends Ohm's Law: V = I × Z.
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Superconductors — below critical temperature, resistance drops to exactly zero, allowing current to flow indefinitely without voltage.
5 Tips for Using Ohm's Law Correctly
1
Always use consistent units — mix milliamps with ohms and your voltage answer will be off by 1,000×. Convert everything to base SI units (V, A, Ω, W) before calculating.
2
Remember that Ohm's Law applies per component — in a series circuit, the same current flows through all resistors, but voltage splits. In parallel, voltage is equal but current splits.
3
Heat = wasted power — the power dissipated in a resistor (P = I²R) becomes heat. Always check that your resistor's wattage rating exceeds the calculated dissipation, with a 2× safety margin.
4
Use Kirchhoff's Laws alongside Ohm's Law — for complex multi-loop circuits, KVL (voltage law) and KCL (current law) are the tools to reduce the circuit before applying V = IR.
5
Check real device datasheets — Ohm's Law gives ideal values. Real-world wires have resistance, batteries have internal resistance, and capacitors have ESR. Always cross-check with component datasheets for precision design.