Understanding How Electrical Laws and Theory Actually Work in Practice

Before the 18th century, the general understanding of electricity was very limited. Today, many of us share that limited understanding. Electricity starts to seem mysterious and magical the more you think about it, but it operates in some very predictable ways.

It’s important to have a basic understanding of electrical laws so that you can better appreciate the way the modern world works. We’re going to look at some principles of electricity and circuit theory today, giving you the fundamentals.

We hope the ideas below resonate with you and give you a deeper understanding of different types of electronics and electricity. Let’s get started.

Beginner’s Guide to Basic Electrical Laws

We’ll explore some of the basic laws used in electronics engineering. These are the ideas that govern most of the technology we use.

The first one to understand is “Ohm’s Law.” This law states that the current between two points of a conductor is proportional to the voltage between those same points. The equation for this law is as follows: Current in amperes (I) equals the voltage (V) divided by the resistance of the conductor in ohms (R).

We end up with I = V/R. “Ohms,” in this case, refers to units of resistance in a conductor. The function of this law helps us understand how electricity will respond to different materials, allowing it to function effectively in different types of circuits.

If a current is supposed to flow too heavily or has the potential to do so, one can add braking resistors to the circuit. This dampens the flow and prevents a short circuit from happening.

Circuit Theory

A circuit is a closed path that facilitates the movement of an electrical current. Circuit theory is the way that people contextualize the myriad ways in which a circuit can operate.

A deep understanding of circuit theory helps greatly in the electronics engineering that drives most technological innovations.

Applying Theory To Everyday Life

All electronics operate with the use of conductors to facilitate currents and produce different ends. Take a microchip, for example.

Microchips are the brains of most of our devices. They’re also extremely small in comparison to the impact they have. You might find a microchip that’s as small as your pinky nail in a large computer.

Within those chips, millions of transistors are implanted, each one serving a unique role in directing electrical charges. Transistors switch on or off depending on the function at hand.

Understanding the principles of Ohm’s law allows engineers the ability to know the type of conductor to use, the amount of electricity that the transistor can handle, and how the relationship between the current and the circuit will pan out.

Want to Learn More About Modern Technology?

We hope our beginner’s look at electrical laws was useful to you. There’s a lot more to learn about how sophisticated technology works, however. We’re here to help you with more ideas.

Explore our site for more insights into electronics engineering, technology, and a whole lot more.