gigohm

A gigohm is a unit of electrical resistance. It is equal to one billion ohms. The prefix "giga-" comes from the Greek word "gigas," meaning giant. The ohm (symbol Ω) is the SI derived unit of electrical resistance, named after the German physicist Georg Simon Ohm. One ohm is defined as the resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant direct voltage of one volt applied to these points produces in this conductor a current of one ampere. Therefore, a gigohm represents a very high level of resistance.

Resistances in the gigohm range are typically found in specialized electronic components such as high-value resistors used in sensitive measurement equipment, insulation for high-voltage components, or in certain types of capacitors where leakage current needs to be minimized. Materials with extremely high resistivity, like high-quality insulators, can exhibit resistances in the gigohm range. Measuring such high resistances requires sensitive instruments and careful techniques to avoid errors due to leakage or instrument limitations. For context, a typical household light bulb has a resistance of a few tens of ohms, while a typical resistor in a consumer electronic device might be in the kilohm or megohm range. Gigohm resistors are therefore quite uncommon in everyday electronics.