Ohmic

Definition

A material or component is considered ohmic if it follows Ohm's Law, where the current through the material is directly proportional to the voltage across it. This relationship is characterized by a constant resistance.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Ohmic materials have a linear relationship between current and voltage, represented by $V = IR$.
2. The resistance of an ohmic material remains constant regardless of the applied voltage and current.
3. Metals like copper and aluminum are common examples of ohmic materials.
4. The I-V (current-voltage) graph for an ohmic device is a straight line passing through the origin.
5. Non-ohmic materials do not follow Ohm’s Law; their resistance changes with voltage or current.

Review Questions

• What characterizes an ohmic material in terms of its I-V relationship?
• Give an example of a common ohmic material.
• How does the resistance of an ohmic material change with varying voltage?

Related terms

Ohm's Law: $V = IR$, which states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points.

Resistance: A measure of how much a component or material resists the flow of electric current, denoted by $R$ and measured in ohms ($\Omega$).

Non-ohmic: Materials or components that do not have a constant resistance and do not follow Ohm's Law.