Enter your Initial Resistance, Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR), Reference Temperature, and Target Temperature to calculate the Final Resistance of a material at any operating condition — plus the Resistance Change, Percentage Change, and Temperature Difference so you can see exactly how much heat is shifting your numbers.
Final Resistance
--
Resistance Change
--
Percentage Change
--
Temperature Difference
--
TCR is the relative change of resistance value due solely to either the cooling or heating of a resistor. It is typically expressed in parts per million per degree Celsius (ppm/°C).
Copper has a TCR of approximately +3930 ppm/°C, platinum around +3850 ppm/°C, and carbon resistors typically range from -500 to -1000 ppm/°C. Positive values mean resistance increases with temperature.
The reference temperature is the baseline at which the initial resistance value is measured. Standard reference temperatures are usually 20°C or 25°C, and all calculations are relative to this point.
Positive TCR means resistance increases with temperature (like metals), while negative TCR means resistance decreases with temperature (like carbon or semiconductors).
TCR calculations are most accurate for small temperature changes. For large temperature differences, the linear approximation may introduce errors, and higher-order temperature effects should be considered.
This calculator provides basic linear TCR calculations. For high-precision PT100 calculations, specialized tools that account for the Callendar-Van Dusen equation are recommended.
Temperature changes can significantly affect circuit performance by altering resistance values. This impacts current flow, voltage drops, and overall circuit behavior, making temperature compensation important in precision applications.