Resistance in case of non Ohmic current voltage relation.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of incremental resistance in the context of a non-Ohmic current-voltage relationship described by the equation I=α(exp(eV/kT)-1). Participants explore how resistance can be defined in a non-linear regime and the implications of this for understanding electrical behavior.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions how resistance can be defined if the relationship does not follow Ohm's law.
  • Another participant explains that incremental resistance refers to small signal resistance and suggests using a derivative (dV/dI) to find it, indicating that this can yield a linear approximation in a small region of the curve.
  • A participant provides an example illustrating how a nonlinear resistor can exhibit different resistance values at different operating points, distinguishing between DC resistance and incremental resistance.
  • Some participants assert that the relationship V=IR is not violated in this context, suggesting that resistance can be viewed as a ratio without needing to assign physical significance to it.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the interpretation of resistance in non-Ohmic contexts. While some agree that the relationship V=IR holds in a certain sense, others challenge the necessity of assigning physical meaning to resistance, indicating a lack of consensus on the implications of these definitions.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss the concept of incremental resistance without resolving the implications of non-Ohmic behavior on traditional definitions of resistance. The discussion includes assumptions about the linearization of non-linear curves and the interpretation of resistance as a ratio.

Mitadru Banik
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A non Ohmic relation of current and voltage is I=α(exp(eV/kT)-1). Where α,K,T,e are constant. What will be the incremental resistance?

My question is if it don't follow the Ohmic equation then how it possible to find the resistance?
 
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Mitadru Banik said:
A non Ohmic relation of current and voltage is I=α(exp(eV/kT)-1). Where α,K,T,e are constant. What will be the incremental resistance?

My question is if it don't follow the Ohmic equation then how it possible to find the resistance?

Incremental resistance refers to small signal resistance. This means that when you take a non-linear load line like the one described by your equation, and vary your position along that line very small by changing the voltage or current respectively small, you will be operating along an -approximate- linear region, since the tangent along this curve at any point is a straight line, which will be an ohmic relation in the sense that it is linearized on this small increment.

Incremental should give you the clue to use a derivative (dV/dI) which is in units of ohms.
 
Last edited:
Ok understand it but however it never violets the relation V=IR.
 
Mitadru Banik said:
Ok understand it but however it never violets the relation V=IR.
When speaking of incremental resistance, written as small r, then Ohms Law is written v=i·r
to distinguish 'r' from the DC or large signal resistance seen in V=I·R

Example: If you apply, say, 10 volts DC to an nonlinear resistor and a current flows of 1 ampere, you conclude that that resistor, at 10 volts, seems like a 10 ohm resistor. However, if you increase that 10V to 10.1V and find the current increases to 1.05A, you can say that for small changes near 10V, that resistor appears as a 2 ohm resistor because ∆V/ ∆I = 2Ω.

So at the 10V operating point the resistor simultaneously has two values of resistance, R=10Ω and r=2Ω.
 
Mitadru Banik said:
Ok understand it but however it never violets the relation V=IR.

Don't worry about that. There is no violation.
It may be better if you don't feel that the 'Resistance' actually has to mean anything, other than V/I. If you don't insist that there must be some physical significance then there is no problem. Likewise, the 'small signal' resistance (ΔV/ΔI) needs to be no more than what it says on the tin.
There are enough really important things to get in a stew about so why worry about what something really 'means'?
One of the first things we have to get over in 'electrics' is to realize that descriptions of Resistance like "It's how hard you need to push electrons through a circuit" are no use to anyone. Resistance is just a RATIO - period.
 
Thanks to all of u...
 

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