Light Bulb II Concept Test: B C B C A A

Light Bulb II
Concept Test
B S
24 V
12 V
C
The light bulbs in the circuit are identical.

When the switch is closed,
1. The intensities of light bulbs B and C

increase.
2. The intensities of light bulbs B and C
decrease.
3. The intensity of light bulb A increases.
4. The intensity of light bulb A decreases.
5. A combination of 1 and 4
6. A combination of 2 and 3
7. Nothing happens
8. None of the above
Light Bulb II
Solution
Lecture S5: Light Bulb II
3
Answer
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Number of Students
Lecture S5: Light Bulb II
3
Answer
0 10 20 30 40 50
Number of Students
Before the switch is closed, the current through the three
bulbs must be the same. Thus, the voltage drop across each
bulb is the same. Because the total voltage drop across the
three bulbs is 24 V, the drop across each bulb must be 8 V.
Therefore, if we designate the lower node as ground, the
potential of the node to the left of the switch is 16 V.
After the switch is closed, the potential of the node to the left
of the switch must be 12 V, since the upper terminal of the
battery is 12 V above ground potential. Therefore, the voltage
across bulb A increases, and therefore its intensity increases.
Likewise, the total voltage across bulbs B and C decreases,
and hence there intensities decrease. This is a combination
of #2 and #3, so answer #6 is correct.
By the second try, most students had either answer #2 (which

is partially correct) or #6 (the correct answer). The answer is
a little surprsing — adding a battery in parallel to the lower
bulbs makes them dimmer, not brighter.
Light Bulb III
Concept Test
B S
24 V
12 V
C
The light bulbs in the circuit are identical.

After the switch is closed, the 12 V battery
1. Supplies power to the circuit.
2. Absorbs power.
3. Neither of the above.

Light Bulb III
Solution
Lecture S5: Light Bulb III
1
Answer
0 10 20 30 40
Number of Students
Before the switch is closed, the current through the three

bulbs must be the same. Thus, the voltage drop across each
bulb is the same. Because the total voltage drop across the
three bulbs is 24 V, the drop across each bulb must be 8 V.
Therfore, if we designate the lower node as ground, the
potential of the node to the left of the switch is 16 V.
After the switch is closed, the potential of the node to the left
of the switch must be 12 V, since the upper terminal of the
battery is 12 V above ground potential. Therefore, the voltage
across bulb A increases, and therefore its the current through
it increases. Likewise, the total voltage across bulbs B and C
decreases, and hence the current through them decreases.
So the current through bulb A is greater than the current
through bulb B. To satisfy KCL at the node to the left of the
switch, there most be current to the right through the switch,
and down through the 12 V battery. With current .o wing into
the positive terminal, the current through the battery is
positive (if we are using the passive sign convention), and
therefore the power iv > 0, and hence the battery absorbs
power. The correct answer is #2. In effect, this circuit is a sort
of battery charger, using the 24 V battery to charge the 12 V
battery.
Loop Method
Concept Test
R R
2 e1 4 e2
+
V ia R ib R -I I
_ 3 5
For the network above, .nd the equation that

expresses Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law for the
loop ib . My answer was
1. −R3 ia + (R3 + R4 + R5 )ib = R5 I

2. −R3 ia + (R3 + R4 + R5 )ib = −R5 I
3. −R3 ia + (R3 + R4 )ib = R5 I
4. Not among the answers above
5. I was unable to get an answer
Loop Method
Solution
Lecture S5: Loop Method
2
Answer
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Number of Students
The correct answer is Number 2. The voltage drop across R4

(in the ib direction) is R4 ib . The voltage drop across R5 (in
the ib direction) is R5 (ib − (−I)) = R5 (ib + I). The
voltage drop across R3 (in the ib direction) is R3 (ib − ia ).
The total voltage drop around the loop is zero, so
−R3 ia + (R3 + R4 )ib + R5 I = 0
Therefore,
−R3 ia + (R3 + R4 )ib = −R5 I
Many students answered #1. It is a little tricky. To correctly

get the minus sign on the right hand side, you must recognize
that there are three minus signs .oating around — one
because the current in the right hand loop is −I to match the
direction of the current source, one because the loop as
drawn .o ws in the opposite direction as ib through R5 , and
one because the source term has been moved to the right
hand side of the equation.

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Light Bulb II

The light bulbs in the circuit are identical.

1. The intensities of light bulbs B and C

Lecture S5: Light Bulb II

Lecture S5: Light Bulb II

Before the switch is closed, the current through the three

three bulbs is 24 V, the drop across each bulb must be 8 V.

Therefore, if we designate the lower node as ground, the

potential of the node to the left of the switch is 16 V.

By the second try, most students had either answer #2 (which

The light bulbs in the circuit are identical.

1. Supplies power to the circuit.

3. Neither of the above.

Lecture S5: Light Bulb III

Before the switch is closed, the current through the three

For the network above, .nd the equation that

1. −R3 ia + (R3 + R4 + R5 )ib = R5 I

Lecture S5: Loop Method

The correct answer is Number 2. The voltage drop across R4

−R3 ia + (R3 + R4 )ib + R5 I = 0

−R3 ia + (R3 + R4 )ib = −R5 I

Many students answered #1. It is a little tricky. To correctly

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