Question

What is the difference between resistance and resistor?

Answer 1

Hint: In order to solve this question, we should first know about electric current. Electric current is the flow of electric charges in a wire and these electric charges are free electrons of atoms of a particular material and here we will discuss the terms resistance and resistor.

Complete answer:
When an electric current passes through a wire or any material. Then the opposition of flow of charge which is electric current takes place and this is due to resistance of the material or wire through which electric current passes.

So, resistance is the property of the material or wire which opposes the flow of electricity through it. If $V$ is the Potential difference across two points in a wire and an amount of current I passed through it, then the resistance offered by that wire or material is given by famous Ohm’s law which is written as $R = \dfrac{V}{I}$ where $R$ is the resistance.

Now, Resistor is an electrical component having two terminals specially designed to offer resistance when connected in an electrical circuit.Hence, the basic difference between resistance and resistor is that Resistor is an electrical component especially designed to offer resistance in electrical circuits while resistance is the property of a material which opposes the flow of electricity through it.

Note: It should be remembered that resistance is a mathematical concept and it has a definite magnitude and the SI unit in which resistance is measured is known as Ohm denoted as $\Omega $ whereas Resistor is just a name of an electrical component used in electrical circuits.