Current flow through no resistance conductor

flyerpower · May 30, 2011

Homework Statement

How does the electric current flow through this circuit?

Circuit schematic with a battery labelled E, r at the top, resistors R4, R2, R1 and R3, a voltmeter V, and points A and B marked on the wiring.

2. The attempt at a solution
It would make sense for me to take the path where there's no resistance and skip the path with the resistance R1, but I'm not 100% sure about that.

Circuit schematic with a battery labelled E, r on the top branch, point A at top left, resistors R4, R2, R1 and R3, a voltmeter V, point B on the right, and arrows marking currents I1, I2 and I3.

Circuit schematic with a battery labelled E, r at top right, resistor R4 on the left branch from point A, resistors R2, R1 and R3 in parallel branches, point B on the right, and a voltmeter V at bottom, with arrows showing current direction.

So how does it flow? pic1 or pic2? also an explanation would be very useful.

Thanks.

flyerpower · May 30, 2011

Oh, i figured out now, it would be the same case if we removed the Voltmeter (since it has no resistance), in that case R2 and R3 are parallel, series with R1 and R4.

gneill · May 30, 2011

Presumably V represents a voltmeter. An ideal voltmeter has infinite resistance, so no current should flow through it.

Current flow through no resistance conductor

Homework Statement

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