In a circuit, if the resistance is doubled and voltage remains constant, what happens to the current?

When the resistance in a circuit is doubled while keeping the voltage constant, the current produced in the circuit is halved. This relationship is described by Ohm's Law, which states that the current (I) flowing through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage (V) across the two points and inversely proportional to the resistance (R). Mathematically, this is represented as ( I = \frac{V}{R} ).

If the resistance is increased to double its original value (say from R to 2R), and the voltage remains unchanged, the current can be expressed as follows:

1. Original current with resistance R: ( I_{original} = \frac{V}{R} )

2. New current with doubled resistance 2R: ( I_{new} = \frac{V}{2R} )

When you compare the two currents, the new current is clearly half of the original current. Hence, with respect to the current, if resistance is increased while voltage remains constant, the current will decrease, specifically to half its initial value. This fundamental principle is essential for understanding how electrical circuits operate, particularly in the context of resistive loads.