ASVAB · Circuits and Ohm's Law

Using Ohm's law, if a circuit has 12 volts and a resistance of 4 ohms, what is the current?

Correct answer

3 amps

  1. A 48 amps
  2. B 3 amps
  3. C 0.33 amps
  4. D 8 amps

Why this is the answer

Ohm's law states V = I × R, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance. To find current, rearrange to I = V ÷ R. Here I = 12 volts ÷ 4 ohms = 3 amps. Ohm's law is the single most important relationship in basic electronics, and you should be able to solve for any of the three variables: V = IR, I = V/R, and R = V/I. A common error is multiplying instead of dividing (12 × 4 = 48). The current in this circuit is 3 amperes.
Source: ASVAB Electronics Information — Ohm's Law

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About this topic: Circuits and Ohm's Law

Circuits and Ohm's Law questions ask you to calculate voltage, current, resistance or power, and to understand series versus parallel circuits — how resistance adds in series and reduces in parallel, and what happens when one component fails. This is one of 17 Electronics Information questions on circuits and ohm's law, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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