How does resistance affect voltage in a circuit?

In an electric circuit, resistance plays a crucial role in determining how voltage behaves according to Ohm's law, which states that voltage (V) equals current (I) multiplied by resistance (R): V = I × R. When resistance increases while the current remains constant, the voltage across that resistance also increases, but this increase can limit the overall voltage available in the circuit.

When considering the total voltage in a circuit, if the resistance is high, it causes a drop in the voltage due to the energy being dissipated as heat rather than being effectively delivered to the load (such as a motor or light). This means that as resistance increases, more voltage is dropped across the resistive elements of the circuit, leading to less voltage available for the actual work being done by the components.

This interplay between resistance and voltage is foundational in electrical engineering and helps in understanding how circuits can be designed and analyzed, especially in applications requiring specific voltage levels for proper operation.