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How to Calculate Power Resistance Electrons

Electrical currents consist of the flow of subatomic particles known as electrons. As electrons flow, they scatter off one another and also off the wire boundaries. This phenomena is known as resistance and is a macroscopic quantity that is often measured in electrical circuits. Another macroscopic quantity that is often measured in electrical circuits is power. Power is defined to be the rate at which energy (work) is used. The power in a simple electrical circuit can be determined from the voltage and resistance values.

Things You'll Need

Calculator
Multimeter (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Write down the value of voltage in the circuit. Multiply this value by itself to obtain V^2. Voltage is measured in volts.
- 2
  Write the value for the resistance. If the value of resistance is not known, a multimeter can be used to determine it. Switch on the multimeter and set it to the resistance function. Place the measurement probes across the point of interest in the circuit. The value of resistance will be displayed on the multimeter screen. Resistance is measured in ohms.
- 3
  Divide the value for voltage squared (V^2) by the resistance (R) to get the power. Power is measured in watts.

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