Äquivalenzwiderstand

Äquivalenzwiderstand, also known as equivalent resistance or effective resistance, is a concept used in electrical circuit analysis. It represents the single resistance value that would produce the same total current flow and voltage drop across a circuit or a portion of a circuit as the original, more complex arrangement of resistors. In essence, it simplifies a network of resistors into a single, equivalent component for analysis purposes.

When resistors are connected in series, their individual resistances add up to give the total equivalent resistance. The formula for series resistors is R_eq = R1 + R2 + R3 + ... . This means the current flowing through each resistor is the same, and the total voltage drop across the series combination is the sum of the voltage drops across each individual resistor.

For resistors connected in parallel, the reciprocal of the equivalent resistance is equal to the sum of the reciprocals of the individual resistances. The formula is 1/R_eq = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + ... . In a parallel circuit, the voltage drop across each resistor is the same, but the total current is the sum of the currents flowing through each parallel branch. The equivalent resistance of a parallel combination is always less than the smallest individual resistance.

The concept of equivalent resistance is fundamental for understanding how electrical networks behave and is crucial for designing and troubleshooting circuits. It allows engineers and technicians to predict current and voltage behavior without needing to analyze every single component individually.