Prof said one thing, book says another. R/L source-free circuit, pic included

In summary, the conversation discusses conflicting information between a professor and a book regarding a circuit problem. The professor believes that the current in the circuit is gone after 5 microseconds, while the book disagrees. The solution involves treating the two loops in the circuit separately and combining the currents in the middle branch. The assumption made by the professor is questioned due to the short time frame involved in the problem.
  • #1
mr_coffee
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Prof said one thing, book says another. R/L source-free circuit, pic included :)

Hello everyone. This time after reviewing my professors work, and comparing it to the books solution manual i bought, they don't seem to match. The way the professor explained it to me made me think she was right. She said since it wants u to find Isw @ 5x10^-6 seconds, the current is diminshed enough that u can say its gone. Since IL and Isw are in opposite directions, Isw is just -IL. But the book said f that.
Here is my work and the problems directions:
After being in the configuration shown for hours, the switch in the circuit is closed at t = 0. At t = 5micro seconds, calcualte (a) IL and (b) Isw
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/9536/lastscan0zc.jpg
 
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  • #2
mr_coffee said:
Hello everyone. This time after reviewing my professors work, and comparing it to the books solution manual i bought, they don't seem to match. The way the professor explained it to me made me think she was right. She said since it wants u to find Isw @ 5x10^-6 seconds, the current is diminshed enough that u can say its gone.
The current where? This does not make sense to me because the time is not much larger than the time constant! So no approximation of that sort can be made
Since IL and Isw are in opposite directions, Isw is just -IL. But the book said f that.
Here is my work and the problems directions:
After being in the configuration shown for hours, the switch in the circuit is closed at t = 0. At t = 5micro seconds, calcualte (a) IL and (b) Isw

In a circuit like this, where the middle branch had no resistance (when the switch is closed), you can treat the two loops (left and right) separately and combine the two currents in the middle branch, where the switch is (that's a special case!). So the effect of the left loop (with the 9 volts and the 1 kilo-ohms) is to produced a current downward of 9/1000 = 9 mA downward. Then you can calculate separately the current produced by the right branch (with the inductor and the other 1 kilo-ohm. Upon combining the two currents in the middle branch, you find the current in the switch.
 
  • #3
That does make sense, I think her assumption was wrong because like you said, the time isn't very long at all, so there could still be current flowing through the inductor. Thanks again for the explanation!
 

1. Does this mean the professor is wrong?

No, it is possible that the professor's explanation and the information in the book are both correct but are simply presented differently. It is important to consider both sources and seek clarification if necessary.

2. How should I approach studying for this topic?

It is important to understand the concepts behind the topic rather than just memorizing information from one source. Use both the professor's explanation and the book to gain a comprehensive understanding.

3. Should I trust the professor's explanation or the book?

Both sources are valuable and should be considered when learning about a topic. If there are discrepancies, it is important to seek clarification from the professor.

4. Is it common to encounter conflicting information in academia?

Yes, it is common to encounter differing perspectives and explanations in academia. This can be due to different interpretations or approaches to a topic.

5. How can I reconcile the differences between the professor's explanation and the book?

One approach could be to discuss the topic with the professor and see if they can clarify the differences. You could also do further research and consult other sources to gain a more well-rounded understanding of the topic.

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