Resistance in Series and Parallel
Engr:M Saleem Jamali
Email:
[email protected] Chapter Description
Aims
To understand what is voltage divider, analysis and its application
To understand what is current divider, analysis and its application
Expected Outcomes
Student should be able to identify voltage and current divider circuit.
Able to solve problem related to voltage and current divider
Other related Information
One of mid semester exam is from this topic
No other relevant information be disclosed
Contents
Voltage divider circuit
Current divider circuit
Voltage Divider
When a voltage is applied to a series combination of
resistances, a fraction of voltage appears across each of the
resistance.
A series circuit acts as a voltage divider. The voltage divider is
an important application of series circuits.
A circuit consisting of a series string of resistors connected to
a voltage source act as voltage divider.
Voltage Divider Formula
Assume a circuit with
n resistors in series as
shown in Figure where
n can be any number.
Source: Rizzoni
Voltage Divider Formula
Let Vx represent the voltage drop across anyone of the
resistors and Rx represent the number of a particular resistor
or combination of resistors.
By Ohm's law, you can express voltage drop across Rx as
follows:
Vx = IRx
Voltage Divider Formula
The current through the circuit is equal to the source voltage
divided by the total resistance (I= Vs/RT). In the circuit of
Figure, the total resistance is R1+R2+R3 + ... + Rn.
By substitution of Vs/RT for I in the expression for Vx,
Vx=(Vs/RT)Rx
Voltage Divider Formula
Rearranging the terms, you wil get,
Vx=(Rx/RT)Vs
Voltage Divider by Definition
Therefore,
“The voltage drop across any resistor or combination of resistors in a
series circuit is equal to the ratio of that resistance value to the total
resistance, multiplied by the source voltage.”
Example – Voltage Divider Problem
Source: Rizzoni
Example – Voltage Divider Problem
(Solution)
Source: Rizzoni
Example 2
Source: Rizzoni
Solution for Example 2
Exercise 1
use the voltage-division principle to calculate v
Source: Rizzoni
Exercise 2
A source supplies 120V to the series combination of a 10
Ohm Resistance, a 8 Ohm Resistance, and an unknown
resistance Rx. The voltage across the 8 Ohm Resistance is 20
V. Determine the value of the unknown resistance.
Exercise 3
Determine the voltage between the following points in the
voltage divider of below circuit.
a) A to B
b) A to C
c) B to C
d) B to D
e) C to D
Source: Rizzoni
Current Divider
In a parallel circuit, the total current into the junction of the
parallel branches divides among the branches. Thus, a parallel
circuit acts as a current divider. This current-divide principle
is illustrated in next Figure for a two-branch parallel circuit
in which part of the total current IT goes through R1 and part
through R2.
Example
Source: Rizzoni
Current Divider Formula
The current through any one of the parallel resistors is Ix,
where x represents the number of a particular resistor (l, 2,
3, and so on).
By Ohm's law, you can express the current through any one
resistors in previous Figure as follows:
Ix=(Vs/Rx)
Current Divider Formula
The source voltage, Vs, appears across each of the parallel
resistors, and Rx represents any one of the parallel resistors.
The total source voltage, Vs, is equal to the total current
times the total parallel resistance.
Vs=IT.RT
Current Divider Formula
Substituting ITRT for Vs in the expression for Ix results in
Ix=(ITRT)/Rx
Rearranging the formula,
Ix=(RT/Rx).IT
where x = 1,2,3, etc.
Current Divider Definition
Therefore,
“The current (Ix) through any branch equals the total parallel
resistance (RT) divided by the resistance (Rx) of that branch, and then
multiplied by the total current (IT) into the junction of parallel
branches.“
Example
Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Two_
Resistors_in_Parallel.svg
Solution
Conductance in Parallel
Source: Rizzoni
Example
Source: Rizzoni
Solution
Source: Rizzoni
Determine the current through each resistor in the circuit of
below Figure.
Source: Rizzoni
RT=(R1R2)/(R1+R2)
Source: Rizzoni
Current Divider Other Formula – for 2
resistors only
Using the general current divider formula, the formula for I1
and I2 can be written as;
I1= (RT/R1)IT
and
I2= (RT/R2)IT
Current Divider Other Formula – for 2
resistors only
substitute RT in above formulas, we will obtain current-divider
formulas for the special case of two branches, which are;
I1= (( R2/(R1+R2)) IT
and
I2= (( R1/(R1+R2)) IT
Exercise
Find I1 and I2,
Source: Rizzoni
Conclusion of The Chapter
Conclusion #1
Voltage divider is represented by a series circuit.
Current divider is represented by a parallel circuit.
Akhtar Razali
FKM, UMP.
