Voltage Divider Calculator
Calculate output voltage, current, and power dissipation for resistor divider circuits.
Component Values
V
kΩ
kΩ
Results
Output Voltage (Vout)6.000 V
Voltage Ratio50.00 %
Current600.0 µA
Power in R13.600 mW
Power in R23.600 mW
Voltage Divider
How does a Voltage Divider work?
A voltage divider uses two series resistors to produce an output voltage that is a fraction of the input. The output is taken at the junction between R1 and R2. It is one of the most fundamental circuits in electronics.
Output Voltage (Vout)
Vout = Vin × R2 / (R1 + R2)Current
I = Vin / (R1 + R2)Key Points
- Vout is always less than Vin (for positive R1, R2)
- The ratio depends only on the resistor values, not absolute values
- Load resistance in parallel with R2 changes the output voltage
- Higher resistance = less current = less power dissipation
Applications
- Level shifting (e.g. 5V to 3.3V logic)
- Biasing transistor base voltage
- ADC reference voltage generation
- Potentiometers and sensor interfaces