How Does Voltage Drop Across a Resistor?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the concept of voltage drop across a resistor, exploring the underlying mechanisms and interpretations of this phenomenon. Participants express confusion about the nature of voltage and its implications in terms of charge movement and energy dissipation.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty in understanding how voltage is dropped across a resistor and questions where the voltage "goes."
  • Another participant challenges the notion of voltage as something that can "go" somewhere, using an analogy of climbing down a ladder to illustrate their point.
  • A different participant introduces the concept of power, suggesting that the energy associated with the voltage drop is converted to heat.
  • Another participant notes that positive charges do not move as frequently as electrons, implying a distinction in charge carrier behavior in the context of voltage drop.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus; there are multiple competing views regarding the nature of voltage and the behavior of charge carriers in a resistor.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about charge movement and energy conversion are not fully explored, and the discussion does not resolve the conceptual difficulties raised by participants.

member 392791
Hello,

I am having conceptual difficulties trying to understand how voltage is dropped across a resistor. The whole idea of it is confusing to me, where does this voltage go?

Could it be explained in terms of point charges and electric fields, which is how I am able to visualize potential difference.

The way I see it, the positive charges move across a resistor and face some sort of resistance to their motion, but how does that relate to the charges losing potential?
 
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where does this voltage go?
Voltage is not a material, it does not "go" somewhere.
Where does the height of a ladder (not your height!) "go" if you climb it down?

The way I see it, the positive charges move across a resistor and face some sort of resistance to their motion, but how does that relate to the charges losing potential?
They need some energy to cross the resistor. Moving positive charges are quite rare.
 
where does this voltage go

Think of it in terms of power.

Power = I ΔV.

It escapes as heat.
 
positive charges don't move as much as the electrons move to fill "electron holes"
 

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