Voltage drop over an independent current source?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around understanding voltage drop in a circuit with an independent current source. The user is confused about the voltage at a specific node connected to ground and the implications of the voltage across the current source. It is clarified that current sources maintain their specified current flow regardless of the voltage difference, similar to voltage sources. This principle helps explain how current can flow from lower to higher potential. The explanation resolves the user's confusion about the behavior of current sources in the circuit.
nickadams
Messages
182
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



I am supposed to give a thevenin equivalent circuit to the one posted in the picture.

Homework Equations



V=IR
KVL: "voltage drops around a closed loop sums to zero
KCL: "current into a node equals current out of a node"

The Attempt at a Solution



The part I'm confused about is the node and wire I've circled in red. I know since the wire coming down from the node is connected to ground that the bottom of the wire has V=0... I also know that the voltage drop across the current source is = Voc... but Voc has the higher voltage on top which would mean the current source is forcing current to flow from low voltage to high voltage...

Can someone please help me understand?
 

Attachments

  • circuit.JPG
    circuit.JPG
    7.4 KB · Views: 764
Physics news on Phys.org
nickadams said:
The part I'm confused about is the node and wire I've circled in red. I know since the wire coming down from the node is connected to ground that the bottom of the wire has V=0... I also know that the voltage drop across the current source is = Voc... but Voc has the higher voltage on top which would mean the current source is forcing current to flow from low voltage to high voltage...
Current sources will make their specified current flow regardless of the potential difference. That's how they can supply power to a circuit. If you think about it, voltage sources do the same thing, moving charges from a lower potential to a higher potential.
 
  • Like
Likes nickadams
gneill said:
Current sources will make their specified current flow regardless of the potential difference. That's how they can supply power to a circuit. If you think about it, voltage sources do the same thing, moving charges from a lower potential to a higher potential.

Okay! That makes sense; thank you.
 
Kindly see the attached pdf. My attempt to solve it, is in it. I'm wondering if my solution is right. My idea is this: At any point of time, the ball may be assumed to be at an incline which is at an angle of θ(kindly see both the pics in the pdf file). The value of θ will continuously change and so will the value of friction. I'm not able to figure out, why my solution is wrong, if it is wrong .
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Back
Top