Water analogy makes circuits intuitive.
Quick check
In the water analogy for circuits, what plays the role of a battery?
The full mapping
- Voltage (V) — water pressure pushing the flow.
- Current (A) — the flow rate, litres per second.
- Resistance (Ω) — a narrow or kinked pipe restricting flow.
- Battery — a pump adding pressure.
- Capacitor — a stretchy membrane that stores a bit of pushed-back water.
The analogy makes Ohm's law obvious: more pressure (V) → more flow (I); a narrower pipe (higher R) → less flow. V = I·R.
Watch out
The analogy has limits. Water leaks out of a broken pipe; current doesn't 'leak out' of a broken wire — it simply stops, because the loop is open. Don't push the picture too far.
The mapping
- Voltage — water pressure.
- Current — flow rate.
- Resistance — pipe narrowness.
- Battery — pump.