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Current-voltage Characteristic




A current-voltage characteristic is a Chart showing the relationship between the DC Current through an Electronic Device and the DC Voltage across its terminals. Electrical Engineers use these charts to determine basic parameters of a device and to model its behavior in an Electrical Circuit . Engineers commonly refer to characteristic chart as '''I-V'''s after the standard symbols for current and voltage.

The Transconductance and Early Voltage of a Transistor are examples of parameters traditionally measured with the assistance of an I-V chart, or laboratory equipment that traces the charts in real time on an Oscilloscope .

The simplest example involves a Resistor . According to Ohm's Law there is a Linear relationship between the applied voltage and the resulting electrical current which is augmented by environmental factors such as temperature or material characteristics of the resistor to produce a non-linear curve.