Physics A-Level
Resistance
What Resistance means in Physics A-Level, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Resistance
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The ratio of potential difference across a component to the current flowing through it (R = V/I).
A measure of how much a component opposes the flow of electric current.
Topics that use Resistance
- Materials (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
- Working as a Physicist (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
Related terms
- Potential Difference
- Electromotive Force (e.m.f.)
- Ohm's Law
- Ohmic Conductor
- Resistivity
- Direct Current (d.c.)
- Thermistor
Using Resistance in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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