Charge different entering and leaving a resistor

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of electric charge as it passes through a resistor, specifically a lightbulb, and whether the charge changes upon entering and exiting the component. The subject area includes concepts of electric potential, current, and charge conservation.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to understand why the charge remains constant despite a change in electric potential, referencing potential energy and voltage. Some participants introduce analogies, such as water flow in a pipe, to illustrate the relationship between current and voltage.

Discussion Status

Participants are exploring different analogies and clarifying terms related to electric potential and charge. There is an ongoing examination of the concepts of voltage, potential, and their implications for charge behavior, with no explicit consensus reached yet.

Contextual Notes

There appears to be some confusion regarding the definitions of potential and potential energy, as well as the implications of charge conservation in the context of electrical components.

Seung Tai Kang

Homework Statement


Is a charge different upon its exit versus its entry into the lightbulb?

Homework Equations


PE = Vq

The Attempt at a Solution


Well, the answer is that the charge stays the same. Based on the equation above, since energy certainly gets reduced V must drop but I don't understand how charge stays the same. And the answer says it is "at a location that is lower in potential." Can someone help me grasp this idea?
 
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Think of water flowing through a pipe. The same amount of water enters the upstream end of the pipe as leaves the downstream end. This has to be true, because there is nowhere in the pipe for water to be stored. The water flow is analogous to current. However, the water pressure at the output end is lower than at the input end because some pressure is dropped due to the friction of the water with the pipe walls. The pressure is what pushes the water along and is analogous to voltage or potential.
 
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A current is a flow of electrons. Individual Electrons have constant/fixed charge.
 

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