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A potential divider is a resistor or a chain of resistors connected in series in an electrical circuit. It is used to obtain a known fraction of the total voltage across the whole resistor or chain. When a variable resistor, or potentiometer, is used as a potential divider, the output voltage can be varied continuously by sliding a contact along the resistor. Devices like this are used in electronic equipment to to vary volume, tone, and brightness control.
In physics, any component in an electrical circuit used to introduce resistance to a current by restricting the flow of electrons. Resistors are often made from wire-wound coils (higher resistance) or pieces of carbon (lower resistance). Rheostats and potentiometers are variable resistors.
When resistors R1, R2, R3,... are connected in a series circuit, the total resistance of the circuit is R1 + R2 + R3 +... . When resistors R1, R2, R3,... are connected in a parallel circuit, the total resistance of the circuit is R, given by
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