Transcript lec25a

DC Circuits
Resistors in Series and Parallel
R
resistor:
A resistor is any circuit element that has
electrical resistance (heater, light bulb,
etc.). Usually we assume wires have no
resistance.
+ -
battery:
V
resistors connected in series:
A
B
Put your finger on the wire at A. If you can move along the wires to
B without ever having a choice of which wire to follow, the circuit
components are connected in series.
Here’s a circuit with three resistors and a battery:
I
I
I
R1
R2
R3
V1
V2
V3
+ -
I
V
current flows
in the steady state, the same current flows through all
resistors
there is a potential difference (voltage drop) across each
resistor
I
I
I
R1
R2
R3
V1
V2
V3
+ -
I
V
An electric charge q is given a potential energy qV by the
battery.
As it moves through the circuit, the charge loses potential
energy qV1 as it passes through R1, etc.
The charge ends up where it started, so the total energy
lost must equal the initial potential energy input:
qV = qV1 + qV2 + qV3 .
I
I
I
R1
R2
R3
V1
V2
V3
+ -
I
V
qV = qV1 + qV2 + qV3
V = V1 + V2 + V3
V = IR1 + IR2 + IR3
Now imagine replacing the three resistors by a single
resistor, having a resistance R such that it draws the same
current as the three resistors in series.
I
Req
V
+ -
I
As above:
From before:
Combining:
V
V = IReq
V = IR1 + IR2 + IR3
IReq = IR1 + IR2 + IR3
Req = R1 + R2 + R3
For resistors in series, the total resistance is the sum of the
separate resistances.
We can generalize this to make an OSE:
OSE:
Req = Ri
(resistors in series)
a consequence of
conservation of energy
resistors connected in parallel:
A
B
Put your finger on the wire at A. If in moving along the wires to B
you ever having a choice of which wire to follow, the circuit
components are connected in parallel.
I1
R1
current flows
V
I2
R2
different currents flows
through different resistors
V
R3
the voltage drop across each
resistor is the same
I3
V
+ -
I
V
Caution: circuits which are drawn to appear very different
may be electrically equivalent.
I1
In the steady state, the
current I “splits” into I1, I2,
and I3 at point A.
R1
V
A
I2
R2
V
I1, I2, and I3 “recombine” to
make a current I at point B.
R3
I3
Therefore, the net current
flowing out of A and into B
is I = I1 + I2 + I3 .
V
+ V
I
Because the voltage drop
across each resistor is V:
I1 =
V
R1
I2 =
B
V
R2
I3 =
V
R3
I
I
Now imagine replacing the
three resistors by a single
resistor, having a resistance
R such that it draws the same
current as the three resistors
in parallel.
Req
A
B
V
+ -
I
V
From above, I = I1 + I2 + I3, and
V
I1 =
R1
So that
V
I2 =
R2
V
V
V
V
= + + .
R eq R1 R 2 R 3
V
I3 =
.
R3
I
Dividing both sides by V gives
1
1
1
1
= + + .
R eq R1 R 2 R 3
We can generalize this to make an OSE:
OSE:
1
=
R eq

i
1
Ri
(resistors in parallel)
a consequence of
conservation of charge
Examples
How much current flows from the battery in the circuit
shown? What is the current through the 500  resistor?
500 
400 
a
I1
c
b
700 
I
I2
+ -
12 V
I
What is your stragegy? Step 1—replace the 500 and 700 
parallel combination by a single equivalent resistor.
500 
400 
a
I1
I=?
c
b
700 
I
I2
I
I1 = ?
+ -
12 V
Woe is me, what to do? Always think: bite-sized chunks!
Step 2—replace the 400 and Req1 series combination by a
single equivalent resistor Req, net.
Req1
400 
a
I=?
c
b
I
I
I1 = ?
+ -
12 V
Woe is me, what to do? Find another bite-sized chunk!
Step 3—Solve for the current I.
Req1, net
c
a
I
I
+ -
12 V
This isn’t so complicated!
Step 4—To get I1, Calculate Vbc.
Use Vtotal = Vab + Vbc.
Vbc
500 
Vab
Knowing I,
Calculate
I1. Woe is
me! Stuck
again!
400 
a
I1
c
b
700 
I
I2
I
+ -
12 V
You know Vtotal= V and I so you can get Vab and then Vbc.
The voltage drop across both the 500 and 700  resistors is
the same, and equal to Vbc. Use V = IR to get I1 across the
500  resistor.
500 
400 
a
I1
c
b
700 
I
I2
+ -
12 V
I
19.2 EMF and Terminal Voltage
We have been making calculations with voltages from
batteries without asking detailed questions about the
batteries. Now it’s time to ask those questions.
We introduce a new term – emf – in this section.
Any device which transforms a form of energy into electric
energy is called a “source of emf.”
“emf” is an abbreviation for “electromotive force,” but emf
does not really refer to force!
The emf of a source is the voltage it produces when no
current is flowing.
The voltage you measure across the terminals of a battery
(or any source of emf) is less than the emf because of
internal resistance.
Here’s a battery with an emf. All batteries have an “internal
resistance:”
a
+ -
b
The “battery” is everything
inside the green box.
Hook up a voltmeter to measure the emf:
a
+ -
b
The “battery” is everything
inside the green box.
Getting ready to connect the
voltmeter.
Measuring the emf???
a
+ -
I
b
The “battery” is everything
inside the green box.
As soon as you connect the
voltmeter, current flows.
You can’t measure voltage without some (however
small) current flowing, so you can’t measure emf
directly.
You can only measure Vab.
We model a battery as producing an emf, , and having an
internal resistance r:
a
+ -
r

b
The “battery” is everything
inside the green box.
The terminal voltage, Vab, is the voltage you measure with
current flowing. When a current I flows through the battery,
Vab is related to the emf, , by
Vab = ε ± I r .
Why the  sign? If the battery is delivering current, the V it
delivers is less than the emf, so the – sign is necessary.
If the battery is being charged, you have to “force” the
current through the battery, and the V to “force” the current
through is greater than the emf, so the + sign is necessary.
This will become clear as you work (and understand)
problems.
Operationally, you simply include an extra resistor to
represent the battery resistance, and label the battery
voltage as an emf instead of V (units are still volts).
Example
For the circuit below, calculate the current drawn from the
battery, the terminal voltage of the battery, and the current
in the 6  resistor.
10 
8
6
4
5
0.5   = 9 V
The following is a “conceptual” solution. Please go back
and put in the numbers for yourself.
In the next section, we will learn a general technique for
solving circuit problems. For now, we break the circuit into
manageable bits. “Bite-sized chunks.”
10 
8
6
4
5
0.5   = 9 V
Replace the parallel combination by its equivalent.
Do you see any bite-sized chunks that are simple series or
parallel?
Any more “bite-sized chunks?” Pretend that everything
inside the green box is a single resistor.
10 
8
6
4
5
0.5   = 9 V
Replace the series combination by its equivalent.
You are left with an equivalent circuit of 3 resistors in
series, which you can handle.
10 
8
6
4
5
0.5   = 9 V
Next bite-sized chunk. Inside the blue box is “a” resistor.
Replace the parallel combination by its equivalent.