Electric Circuits: Understanding Series Circuit with Three Resistors - HELP!

[oooo]

electric circuits-- HELP!

Ok, so I have a quiz on this material tomorrow and I am thoroughly confused. My teacher gave us review problems and I keep getting them wrong. One of them was:
Answer the below questions for a case in which three resitors are positioned in a series with a battery and each of the three resistors is 9 K ohms. The battery potential difference is 1625 mV.
(a) What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit?

Please help me figure out where to start... I am so confused.

-Olivia

 

[Trista]

First you should review what to do with resisters in a series or parallel. If in a series do you add them or do you add the inverse? There should be something in your book that mentions what to do.

 

[kyle8921]

Hi Olivia,

I understand that you are struggling with understanding series circuits with three resistors. Don't worry, I am here to help you! Let's break down the problem step by step.

First, let's recall the basic concept of a series circuit. In a series circuit, the resistors are connected end to end, with the same current flowing through each resistor. This means that the total resistance in a series circuit is the sum of the individual resistances.

Now, let's look at the given information. We have three resistors, each with a resistance of 9 K ohms, and a battery with a potential difference of 1625 mV. The first step is to find the total resistance of the circuit. To do this, we simply add the individual resistances together:

Equivalent resistance = 9 K ohms + 9 K ohms + 9 K ohms = 27 K ohms

Next, we need to use Ohm's Law to find the current in the circuit. Ohm's Law states that current (I) is equal to the potential difference (V) divided by the resistance (R).

I = V/R

Plugging in the values, we get:

I = 1625 mV / 27 K ohms = 0.060 A

Now, we can use this current value to find the voltage drop across each resistor. Since the current is the same in a series circuit, the voltage drop will also be the same.

V = I x R

For each resistor, we get:

V = 0.060 A x 9 K ohms = 540 mV

Therefore, the voltage drop across each resistor is 540 mV.

I hope this helps you understand series circuits with three resistors better. Don't be discouraged if you are still struggling, keep practicing and asking questions. Good luck on your quiz tomorrow!

Best,