How much resistance must be placed in a 120 volt circuit to limit the current to 2 amps?

To determine how much resistance is needed to limit the current to 2 amps in a 120-volt circuit, you can use Ohm's Law, which is defined as ( V = I \times R ), where ( V ) is voltage, ( I ) is current, and ( R ) is resistance.

Rearranging the formula to find resistance gives us:

[ R = \frac{V}{I} ]

Plugging the given values into the formula:

[ R = \frac{120 \text{ volts}}{2 \text{ amps}} ]

[ R = 60 \text{ Ohms} ]

This means that a resistance of 60 Ohms is needed to limit the current to 2 amps in a 120-volt circuit. This calculation is fundamental to electrical engineering and ensures that circuits operate safely within their current ratings, preventing overheating and potential damage to components.