Complex Circuits, Effective Resistance, and Electrical Power: Physics 2
Complex Circuits, Effective Resistance, and Electrical Power: Physics 2
Complex Circuits, Effective Resistance, and Electrical Power: Physics 2
This lesson is to teach how to add resistors in series and parallel in order to determine an
effective resistance. Why this resistance is important is then discussed. Finally, a demonstration
was shown to show about power in series vs. parallel circuits.
- Youve learned Ohms Law: V = IR, now what do you do when you have
more than 1 resistor in a circuit?
- Youve also learned that resistors in series add as Rtot = R1+R2+
- In addition resistors in parallel add as 1/Rtot = 1/R1+1/R2+
- But what do you do if you have a complex circuit with many different
groups of resistors in both series and parallel?
- You want to find the effective resistance
o Because that will tell you the current coming out of the battery
- How do you do this?
o Start with a small simple chunk that you know how to work with
thats either all series or all parallel.
o Then keep redrawing circuit at each step as it simplifies.
o This is easy
o Do following examples: (all values in examples are in Ohms)
Practice Problem:
Known: P = IV P = I2R V = IR
100W bulb: 40W bulb:
P100 = I100V100 P40 = I40V40
I100 = 100W/120V I40 = 40W/120V
I100 = .833 A I40 = .33 A
V100 = I100R100 V40 = I40R40
R100 = V100/I100 R40 = V40/I40
R100 = 120V/.833A R40 = 120V/.33A
R100 = 144 R40 = 360
Therefore, you can find the current going through the circuit:
V = IR
I = V/R
Itot = 120V/504
Itot = .24 A
P40 = I2R40
P40 = .242*360 = 20.7W
P100 = I2R100
P100 = .242*144 = 8.3W
WOW, the power in the 100W bulb is much less than the 40W bulb,
thats why its not as bright!
Thats pretty cool, huh, that you were able to solve this whole
problem knowing what you know, which you didnt think was much
at first, but is actually very powerful!