RL Circuit
Drag the three red sliders in the left pane to change the voltage (V), resistance (R), and inductance (L) of the circuit. In the right pane, the current, , of the circuit is graphed as a function of time.
Ohm's law states that (with no inductance) . In a circuit with no inductance, current is constant.
Inductance is resistance to a change in current. If inductance, , is present in a circuit, Ohm's law generalizes to . If an open circuit with inductance is thrown closed, then the current will start at zero and gradually increase, asymptotically approaching .
Units: volts, ohms, henries, amperes, seconds.