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Re: R = V/I ?



At 12.29 05/05/00 -0500, Richard W. Tarara wrote:
Another reason to avoid this usage is the confusion it causes the beginning
student. They may look at R = V/I and say OK, if we increase V then R
increases. While this might happen (to some extent) with a light bulb, it
is definitely not the behavior we use Ohm's Law to describe. Again, we have
the problem of just how students interpret equations. Many will look at
them as definitions rather than functional relationships. In my mind, the
only time to use R = V/I is in a situation where you know both the voltage
across and current through an object and want to know the resistance. In
this sense, the relationship gives you a MEASUREMENT of R but not a
definition of R.

Hmmm... what, then, is the quantitative definition of R?

Mark



_____________________________________
Mark Sylvester
United World College of the Adriatic,
34013 Duino TS, Italy.
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