What is a voltage divider?

A voltage divider is a specific circuit configuration designed to produce an output voltage that is a fraction of its input voltage. This is typically achieved using two resistors connected in series.

In a voltage divider, the output voltage is determined by the ratio of the resistances in the circuit. According to Ohm's law, the voltage drop across each resistor is proportional to its resistance. Therefore, by using the formulas involving the series resistances, the output voltage can be calculated as a fraction of the input voltage. This property makes voltage dividers useful for adjusting voltage levels to required values for specific components or circuits.

This concept is crucial in many applications, such as in analog signal processing, where you need to scale down a voltage level for safe measurement by other devices or to interface different circuit components that operate at different voltage levels.