piekweerstand

Piekweerstand is a Dutch term used in electronics to refer to the peak resistance that a component or circuit exhibits under specific conditions. The concept describes the maximum value of the instantaneous or measured resistance, typically in contexts involving non-linear or time-varying behavior, such as during transients, pulsed signals, or temperature changes.

In practice, piekweerstand is not a formal, universally standardized quantity like static resistance (R = V/I) or impedance (Z). It is often determined from measurements of voltage and current over time, by computing R(t) = V(t)/I(t) and identifying the highest value within a defined window. In some analyses, the dynamic or differential resistance (dV/dI) around a particular operating point can also be used to characterize peak-like behavior. For devices with strong temperature dependence, such as thermistors or surge-protection components, self-heating can cause the resistance to rise to a peak under high current.

Related concepts include resistance at resonance in AC circuits, where impedance can reach a maximum (or minimum) depending on the circuit configuration, and the broader notion of peak or transient resistance in safety and reliability testing.

Applications and relevance of piekweerstand lie in design margining, thermal management, and quality control, where engineers assess how high the resistance may become under fault or surge conditions. Specifications may note peak resistance only under defined test conditions, emphasizing that the value can vary with temperature, waveform, and duration of the stimulus.