Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Practice Test 2026 – The Complete All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Electric resistance is quantified using the unit called the ohm. This unit is named after the German physicist Georg Simon Ohm, who formulated Ohm's law, which describes the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit.

In practical terms, when a voltage (measured in volts) is applied across a conductor, the resulting current (measured in amperes) flowing through the conductor is inversely proportional to the resistance of that conductor (measured in ohms). Thus, if a material has a higher resistance, it will allow less current to flow at a given voltage, and if it has lower resistance, more current will flow.

The other units mentioned—volt, ampere, and watt—each measure different electrical properties: volts measure electric potential, amperes measure current flow, and watts measure power, which is the rate of energy transfer. Therefore, the unit specifically for resistance in an electrical context is the ohm.