rheostat vs potentiometer

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  • #28938
    kyivstar
    Participant

    Hope that’s ok to ask this sort of question on the forum. Here’s the deal. I’ve been striving to get the hang of the difference between a rheostat and a potentiometer… for a few days now :) I read a bunch of articles on the topic and even watched a video from this page https://www.derf.com/rheostat-overview-article-and-video-explanation/ but … for some reason I still need somebody to explain it to me like I’m 5. Could somebody really dumb down the difference between the devices? Thanks a lot

    #29214
    trouton
    Participant

    Thanks for sharing

    #29277
    fastfesrt
    Participant

    Interesting topic. I’m a student myself but I do not have intelligence about electrical engineering though. But so far, I only understand that potentiometer controls voltage which makes them a passive device while the rheostat controls current. For example, the potentiometer can only control audio equipment via volume controls. However, in rheostat, adjusting its volume would make rheostat resistance change the electric current through the device changes, which then changes its volume frequency.

    Here’s a short explanation: rheostat is another function of the potentiometer.

    • This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by fastfesrt.
Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
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