Lecture 11.

Combinations of Resistors, Kirchhoffs Rules

Outline:
Resistor Circuits.
Voltage and Current Sources.
Voltmeters and Ammeters.
Kirchhoffs Rules.

Lecture 10:
Batteries: the potential energy of charge carriers is increased by nonelectrostatic (non-conservative) forces.
=
Non-ideal batteries: internal resistance.
Potential distribution around a complete circuit.
Energy and power in electric circuits.

More Complex Circuits

R4

R5

R1

1/3

1/3

1 1 1
1 =
+ +
3 3 3

4 2 5

= 1

12
2
=
=
1+2 3

R3 1/3
12 1
2 =
+ = 1
1+2 3

3 4 2 5

= 1 3 4 2 5
10
=
= 20
0.5

R2

1/3

2 5 = 1 + 1 = 2
=

2 1
+ = 1
3 3

11
=
= 0.5
1+1

= = 200

Voltage Source
The goal: to provide output voltage that is
independent of the load resistance.
An ideal voltage source:

=
+

A. has zero internal resistance (zero

means that << all possible values of load
).
B. has infinite internal resistance (infinite
means that >> all possible values of load
).

10

Current Source

The goal: to provide output current that is

independent of the load resistance.
An ideal current source:

=
+

A. has zero internal resistance (zero

means that << all possible values of load
).
B. has infinite internal resistance (infinite
means that >> all possible values of load
).

12

Voltmeters and Ammeters

13

Voltmeters
The goal: to measure the voltage difference across
an element (ideally, without affecting the circuit due
to the voltmeter connection).

An ideal voltmeter:
A. has = and should be connected in parallel with
the circuit element being measured.

B. has = and should be connected in series with

the circuit element being measured.

C. has = and should be connected in parallel

with the circuit element being measured.

D. has = and should be connected in series with

the circuit element being measured.

Voltmeter: high internal resistance

15

Battery Tester
Can we use a
voltmeter (very
high r) to test the
freshness of a
battery?
The voltmeter will measure
provided . But can be as high
as 106 107 , and even if ~103
104 , we wont notice the battery
aging.

typical Rload
16

Ammeters
The goal: to measure the current in a circuit element
(ideally, without affecting the current due to the
ammeter connection).

An ideal ammeter:
A. has = and should be connected in parallel with
the circuit element being measured.

B. has = and should be connected in series with

the circuit element being measured.

C. has = and should be connected in parallel

with the circuit element being measured.

D. has = and should be connected in series with

the circuit element being measured.

Ammeter: low internal resistance

18

Kirchhoffs Junction Rule

Junction Rule (for currents): charge conservation

= 0

Currents flowing in +
Currents flowing out -

19

Kirchhoffs Loop Rule

Loop Rule (energy conservation):

:
+ = 0

for any
closed
loop

= 0

if we neglect the difference

between s and s, and
accept the sign conventions.

20

Example
We dont need to know the actual direction of
the current: if we get the negative value of I,
that would mean that the current flows in the
direction opposite to the direction of travel.
+ = 0

4 + 12 7 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 0
8
=
= 0.5
16

21

Example (contd)

4 4V 7 12V
2

a reference voltage =0

22

More Examples
6
3

(a)

3
6

36
=
= 4
9

Problem 26.77:
(a) what is the potential difference Vab when the switch
is open?
(b) What is the current through the switch when the
switch is closed?
(c) What is the equivalent resistance when the switch is
closed?

= 36 6 4 = 12

= 36 3 4 = 24

= 12 24 = 12

25

More Examples (contd)

6

Problem 26.77:
(b) What is the current through the switch when
the switch is closed?

(b) Choose (arbitrary) directions of currents and

travel along the loops.

loop 1: 36 6 1 3 1 3 = 0
loop 2: 6 1 3 3 + 3 2 = 0

1 =

36
10.5

loop 3: 3 1 3 + 6 2 + 3 + 3 3 = 0
+

3 = 2 21

(from Eq.2)

3 1 + 12 3 + 6 2 = 0

(from Eq.3)

3 1 + 12 2 24 1 + 6 2 = 0

3
2 = 1
2

36 6 1 3 1 + 3 2 21 = 36 10.5 1 = 0

3
3 = 1 21 = 0.51
2

3 =

18
= 1.71
10.5

- means that our initial direction of I3 has to be reversed.

26

More Examples (contd)

6

Problem 26.77:
(a) what is the potential difference Vab when the switch
is open?
(b) What is the current through the switch when the
switch is closed?
(c) What is the equivalent resistance when the switch is
closed?

(c)

1 =

= 1 + 2

36
10.5

3
2 = 1
2

8.6

36
= 4.2
8.6
27

Conclusion
Resistors in Series and Parallel
Voltmeters and Ammeters
Kirchhoffs Rules

Next time: Lecture 12: RC circuits

26.4

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