Battery knowledge · Units and electrical basics

Ohm’s law

Voltage across a resistance equals current times that resistance. Applied to a cell it predicts the voltage drop under load from the internal resistance, which is the first-order reason terminal voltage sags.

Relationship
V = I × R

Example

Convert a resistance into a voltage drop

A 10 A current through a 20 mΩ resistance produces 0.2 V of voltage drop. Use 0.020 Ω in V = IR; inserting the number 20 without converting milliohms would be wrong.

Explore the graph

Discharge current creates an ohmic drop below open-circuit voltage.

Illustrative OCV and loaded voltage
Illustrative OCV and loaded voltageSOC (%) versus Voltage (V). Open circuit; Under load. Interpretation follows the graphs.1.802.42253.05503.67754.3100SOC (%)Voltage (V)
Open circuitUnder load (dashed)

5 A through 20 mΩ gives 0.1 V ohmic drop.

V_terminal = OCV − I_discharge R

Illustrative model. Chosen OCV curve; no chemistry calibration, hysteresis or voltage cutoff.

Use in Lemonergy

Lemonergy Studio blocks

Relate current and voltage

Conserving components solve constitutive relations and node balance.

Blocks to use

  1. Controlled voltage source

    Supplies voltage

    Inputs & settings
    • voltageV
  2. Resistor

    Relates current and voltage

    Inputs & settings
    • resistanceOhm
  3. Electrical reference

    Sets zero potential

    Inputs & settings
    • Connect p to reference net

This overview identifies the components to use. Follow the example in Lemonergy for their connections and settings.

  1. Inspect source and resistor in the RC example.
  2. Compare branch current with resistor voltage.

Example. A 1 V drop across 2 Ω implies 0.5 A.

Observe. Topology sets individual element voltages.

The RC example includes a capacitor: transient current varies and source voltage is not always resistor voltage.

Open the electrical circuit →

References & further reading

Further reading on this topic

These sources provide broader context; they are not presented as citations for every statement in this entry.

  1. The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition

    Bureau International des Poids et Mesures · 2026

    Topic background · Definitions of SI units and coherent derived units; 2026 revision.