PHY 112 General Physics II Spring 2011

Satinder S. Sidhu, PhD

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Quiz 9A ANSWERS

1. The figure below shows the steps one follows in reducing a circuit comprising several series- and
parallel-connected resistances to their one-resistance equivalent. The full circuit is shown in the top
left, the final equivalent at bottom right. Reduction proceeds left-to-right across the top row, and
then similarly in the bottom row. Node labels in all forms refer to their counterparts in others.
Calculate the four resistance values that complete the table below.

R1 is the equivalent resistance of “3-ohm-in-parallel-with-6-ohm”; R1 = 2!

( 3 !) ( 6 !) =
3 !+ 6 !
R2 is the equivalent resistance of “4-ohm-in-series-with-2-ohm”; R2 = 4 ! + 2 ! = 6 !
R3 is the equivalent resistance of “5-ohm-in-series-with-9-ohm”; R3 = 5 ! + 9 ! = 14 !

R4 is the equivalent resistance of “14-ohm-in-parallel-with-6-ohm”; R4 =

(14 ! ) ( 6 ! ) = 4.2 !
14 ! + 6 !
R1 2! R2 6!
R3 14 ! R4 4.2 !
14
2. When a battery is connected between terminals A and B, a current of 4.0 A flows through the 3-ohm
resistance of the original circuit. Calculate the that currents will flow through the following
resistances.
Parallel-connected branches have the same potential difference. Therefore, currents through them are in
inverse proportion to their resistances — more through the lower resistance, less through the higher.
Therefore, the 6-ohm branch carries half as much current as the 3-ohm branch.
I 6 = 12 I 3 = 1
2 ( 4.0 A ) = 2.0 A
Also, current through the 4-ohm resistance is the sum of the currents through the 3-ohm and the 6-ohm
resistances.
I 4 = I 3 + I 6 = 4.0 A + 2.0 A = 6.0 A
a) The 6-ohm resistance carries 2.0 A . 4 b) The 4-ohm resistance carries 6.0 A 2