Impact of Adding Resistor on DC Circuit Current

[maiad]

Homework Statement

Let's say i have a circuit with two resistors connected in parallel with some source. Then another resistor is added in parallel with the first two so what happen to the current in the battery?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

Should the current in the battery decrease since the potential is split across the three resistors?

 

[ehild]

The third resistor is parallel to the other two parallel ones. The common points are connected to the terminals of the battery. So what about the potential difference across all resistors?

Did not you mean that the third resistor is connected in series with the other two parallel ones? ehild

 

[maiad]

No it's is what it is, first there where two in parallel then there was three. The potential difference should the same across all the resistors but current would be distributed, but I'm not sure how this would affect the current going through the battery since the current would meet back up and go through the battery anyways

 

[ehild]

What is the current through a resistor R when the potential difference is V across it?

What does Kirchhoff's Current Law state about the currents at a node? ehild

 

[asteriatic]

I would like to clarify some points before providing a response. First, it is important to note that the term "current in the battery" can be misleading. The battery does not generate or supply current, but rather it creates a potential difference (voltage) that drives the flow of electrons through the circuit. Therefore, it would be more accurate to refer to the current in the circuit, rather than the battery.

Now, regarding the impact of adding a resistor on the current in a DC circuit, we can use Ohm's Law to understand the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance. Ohm's Law states that the current in a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage and inversely proportional to the resistance.

In the scenario described, adding a resistor in parallel with the two existing resistors would decrease the overall resistance in the circuit. This means that the current would increase, as the voltage remains constant. This is because the additional resistor provides an alternative path for the electrons to flow, reducing the overall resistance in the circuit and allowing more current to flow.

However, it is important to note that the current in the battery (or voltage source) would remain the same, as the voltage it provides is constant. The current in the circuit would increase, but this does not necessarily mean that the battery is supplying more current.

In summary, adding a resistor in parallel to a DC circuit would decrease the overall resistance and increase the current in the circuit, while the current in the battery remains constant.