Working Voltage on Digikey?

Hi guys, I am looking for resistors on Digikey, and saw Working Voltage. I am looking at 200 ohm resistors, carbon film, and am wondering if this is an important factor. Thanks

Yes, it is. Don't use the resistor in a circuit where the voltage across it might exceed that voltage.

For a 200 ohm carbon film resistors, the working voltage will be limited by the maximum allowable power dissipation. High-valued resistors will be limited by breakdown voltage. I never thought of this before, but it makes the power dissipation spec irrelevant. For instance, you would have to put 1581V across a 0.25W, 10Meg resistor. The max voltage spec is only 250V on the one I looked at.