PHYS 141/151 - Physics II (Homework #8)

Fall Semester, 2017 M. Carchidi

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Problem #1 (20 points)

The figure below shows a circuit containing three resistors having resistances
R1 = 1 kΩ, R2 = 2 kΩ and R3 = 3 kΩ, and three ideal batteries having
emfs ε1 = 100 V, ε2 = 200 V and ε3 = 300 V.

a 1 b

R1
+
2 -
+ -
R3 3
1 +
-
R2

c 3 2
Figure for Problem #1

a.) (15 points) Determine the Power output by the ε3 battery and from your
result, determine whether the battery is being drained or charged.

b.) (5 points) Determine the direction and magnitude of the current flowing
between points 2 and 3.

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Problem #2 (20 points)

The figure for this problem shows a circuit containing five (5) resistors, one
(1) capacitor with C = 204 μF, one switch and one battery, as shown in the
following figure.

R2
S

R1 C R3 R4

+

- R5

A circuit having 5 resistors, 1 capacitor and 1 battery

If the capacitor is initially uncharged and: R1 = 1 kΩ, R2 = 2 kΩ, R3 = 3

kΩ, R4 = 4 kΩ and R5 = 5 kΩ, determine (in msec) how long before the
capacitor reaches 88% of its full charge after the switch is closed.

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Problem #3 (20 points)

The figure for this problem shows a circuit containing five (5) capacitors,
one (1) resistor with R = 5900 Ω, one switch and one battery with ε = 1180
V.

C2
S

C1 R C3 C4

+
 C5
-

A circuit having 5 capacitors, 1 resistor and 1 battery

If all five capacitors are initially uncharged and: C1 = 10 μF, C2 = 20 μF,
C3 = 30 μF, C4 = 40 μF and C5 = 50 μF, determine (in mA) the amount
of current that will be flowing through the resistor 21 ms after the switch is
closed.

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Problem #4 (20 points)

The figure for this problem shows a circuit containing two ideal batteries
(having emfs ε1 = 10 V and ε2 = 20 V), three resistors (having resistances
R1 = 100 Ω, R2 = 200 Ω and R3 = 300 Ω), two capacitors (having capaci-
tances C1 = 10 μF and C2 = 20 μF) and three switches.

1 - +
a b
R1 
R2
C2 S3
C1 2 3
S1
R3
 S2
- +
4 c

Figure for Problem #4

Presently all three switches are open and the charges on the capacitors are
Q10 = 20 μC (positive on the bottom plate) and Q20 = 80 μC (positive on
the right plate). If all three switches are closed at the same time, determine
the direction and magnitude of the current that flows through switch S1 at
the moment after all three switches are closed.
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Problem #5 (20 points)

Using the same circuit as in Problem #4 above, determine the direction and
magnitude of the current that flows through switch S1 a long time after all
three switches are closed and determine the charges on C1 and C2 after this
long time.
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Solution to Problem #1

a.) Let us label the currents as I1 = I3ca1 , I2 = I31 , I3 = I21 , I4 = I1b2 and I5 =
I23 . The junction at 1 then says that I1 + I2 + I3 = I4 , and the junction at 2
says that I4 = I3 +I5 . The simple loop 3ca13 gives ε1 −I1 R1 −ε2 +I2 R2 = 0,
the simple loop 3123 gives ε2 − I2 R2 + I3 R3 = 0 and the simple loop 1b21
gives ε3 − I3 R3 = 0. These say that
ε3 ε2 + I3 R3 ε1 − ε2 + I2 R2
I3 = , I2 = , I1 =
R3 R2 R1
and
I4 = I1 + I2 + I3 .
Thus we find that
ε3 300 200 + (0.1)(3000)
I3 = = = +0.1 A , I2 = = +0.25 A
R3 3000 2000
and
100 − 200 + (0.25)(2000)
I1 = = +0.4 A
1000
and
I4 = (0.1) + (0.25) + (0.4) = +0.75 A
which then says that P3ε = I4 ε3 = (0.75)(300) = 225 W, which says that ε3
is being drained at a rate of 225 J/s. As a check we note that

P1ε = I1 ε1 = (0.4)(100) = 40 W and P2ε = I2 R2 = (0.25)(200) = 50 W,

and
P1R = I12 R1 = (0.4)2 (1000) = 160 W
and
P2R = I22 R2 = (0.25)2 (2000) = 125 W
and
P3R = I32 R3 = (0.1)2 (3000) = 30 W
and we note that

P1ε + P2ε + P3ε = 40 + 50 + 225 = 315 W

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 is the power output of the batteries and

P1R + P2R + P3R = 160 + 125 + 30 = 315 W

is the power dissipated through the resistors and these are equal as they
must.

b.) To determine the current flowing between points 2 and 3, we use the junction
rule at point 2 to get I4 = I3 + I5 , so that

I5 = I4 − I3 = 0.75 − 0.10 = +0.65 A

flowing from 2 to 3.

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Solution to Problem #2

We note that R3 and R4 are in parallel and can be replaced by one resistor
with resistance R34 so that
1 1 1
= +
R34 R3 R4
Then this is in series with R2 and R5 and so these can be replaced with one
resistor having resistance R2345 where
µ ¶−1
1 1
R2345 = R2 + R34 + R5 = R2 + + + R5 .
R3 R4
Finally this is in parallel with R1 and so the entire circuit can be replace
with just the one resistor R, where or
µ ¶−1
1 1
R= + .
R1 R2345
Putting in the given values of: R1 = 1 kΩ, R2 = 2 kΩ, R3 = 3 kΩ, R4 = 4
kΩ and R5 = 5 kΩ, we find that
µ ¶−1
1 1 61
R2345 =2+ + +5=
3 4 7

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 and à !−1
µ ¶ −1
1 1 1 1 61
R= + = + = kΩ.
R1 R2345 1 61/7 68
Then since C = 204 μF, we know that τ = RC = 183 msec. The time for
the capacitor to charge to is then
t0.88 = −(183) ln(1 − 0.88)
or t0.88 = 388 msec.
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Solution to Problem #3
FWe note that C3 and C4 are in parallel and can be replaced by one capacitor
with capacitance C34 = C3 + C4 . Then this is in series with C2 and C5 and
so these can be replaced with one capacitor having capacitance C2345 where
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
= + + = + +
C2345 C2 C34 C5 C2 C3 + C4 C5
Finally this is in parallel with C1 and so the entire circuit can be replace
with just the one capacitor C, where
µ ¶
1 1 1 −1
C = C1 + C2345 = + + .
C2 C3 + C4 C5
Putting in the given values of: C1 = 10 μF, C2 = 20 μF, C3 = 30 μF,
C4 = 40 μF and C5 = 50 μF, we find that
µ ¶
1 1 1 −1 1290
C = 10 + + + = μF
20 30 + 40 50 59
or C ' 21.8644 μF. From class, we know that the current that flows through
the resistor is
ε
I(t) = e−t/(RC)
R
and with R = 5900 Ω and ε = 1180 V, we have RC = 129 msec, and then
1180 −21/129
I(21) = e ' 0.17 A
5900
or I = 170 mA.
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Solution to Problem #4

Let the currents be labeled as I4a1 , I12 , I24 , I1b3 , I32 and I3c4 . Then the
junction rules at junctions 1, 2, 3 and 4 give

I4a1 = I1b3 + I12 , I12 + I32 = I24 , I1b3 = I32 + I3c4

and I3c4 + I24 = I4a1 , respectively. Note that the directions of I4a1 and I32
are consistent with the charges that are on C1 and C2 . The loop 4a124 gives
Q10
− − I4a1 R1 − I12 R2 = 0
C1
while the loop 1b321 gives
Q20
ε2 − + I12 R2 = 0
C2
and the loop 423c4 gives
Q20
− I3c4 R3 − ε1 = 0.
C2
The last two equations lead to
µ ¶ Ã !
1 Q20 1 80 × 10−6
I12 = − ε2 = − 20 = −0.08 A
R2 C2 200 20 × 10−6
or I12 = −80 mA, and
µ ¶ Ã !
1 Q20 1 80 × 10−6
I3c4 = − ε1 = − 10 = −0.02 A
R3 C2 300 20 × 10−6
or I3c4 = −20 mA. Then
Q10
− − I4a1 R1 − I12 R2 = 0
C1
leads to
µ ¶ Ã !
1 Q10 1 20 × 10−6
I4a1 =− + I12 R2 = − + (−80 × 10−3 )(200)
R1 C1 100 10 × 10−6

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 or I4a1 = +0.14 A or I4c1 = +140 mA. Finally, the junction 4 equation gives

I3c4 + I24 = I4a1 or I24 = I4a1 − I3c4 = 140 − (−20) = 160 mA

from 2 to 4.

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Solution to Problem #5

Using the same notation as in the solution to Problem #4, we note that
after a long time, the capacitors act as gaps and so I4a1 = I32 = 0 and then
the junction equations

I4a1 = I1b3 + I12 , I12 + I32 = I24 , I1b3 = I32 + I3c4

and I3c4 + I24 = I4a1 , give I12 = −I1b3 , I1b3 = I3c4 and I24 = −I3c4 . Setting
I1b3 = I, we have

I12 = −I , I3c4 = I and I24 = −I.

Then the loop 1b3c421 gives

ε2 − ε1 20 − 10
ε2 − IR3 − ε1 − IR2 = 0 or I= =
R2 + R3 200 + 300
yielding I = +0.02 A or I = +20 mA. This leads to I24 = −I = −20 mA, so
that the current flowing through the switch S1 is 20 mA from 4 to 2. Note
then that the loop 4a124 gives
Q1
− IR2 = 0
C1
or
Q1 = IC1 R2 = (20 × 10−3 )(10 × 10−6 )(200) = 40 × 10−6 C
or Q1 = 40 μC, with positive on the bottom plate. The loop 1b321 gives
Q2
ε2 − − IR2 = 0 or Q2 = C2 (ε2 − IR2 )
C2
or
Q2 = (20 × 10−6 )(20 − (20 × 10−3 )(200)) = 320 × 10−6 C

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 or Q2 = 320 μC, with positive on the right plate. As a check, we note that
loop 23c42 gives
Q2 320
− IR3 − ε1 = − (20 × 10−3 )(300) − 10 = 0
C2 20
as it must.

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