Equivalent Resistance Between Terminals

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SUMMARY

The equivalent resistance between terminals A and B in the given circuit with resistors R1 = 5Ω, R2 = 5Ω, R3 = 5Ω, and R4 = 1Ω requires careful analysis of the configuration. The user initially assumed all resistors were in parallel, leading to an incorrect calculation of 0.625Ω. The correct approach involves redrawing the circuit to identify series and parallel combinations accurately, which simplifies the calculation process. This method ensures that the equivalent resistance is determined correctly by grouping resistors appropriately.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of series and parallel resistor configurations
  • Familiarity with Ohm's Law and basic circuit analysis
  • Ability to manipulate equations for equivalent resistance
  • Experience with circuit diagram interpretation
NEXT STEPS
  • Learn how to simplify complex resistor networks using Thevenin's and Norton's theorems
  • Study Kirchhoff's laws for current and voltage in circuit analysis
  • Explore advanced circuit simulation tools like LTspice for visualizing circuit behavior
  • Investigate practical applications of equivalent resistance in real-world circuits
USEFUL FOR

Electrical engineering students, circuit designers, and hobbyists interested in understanding and calculating equivalent resistance in electrical circuits.

chunkytuna21
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What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit in Fig. P29 between terminals A and B? R1 = 5 , R2 = 5 , R3 = 5 and R4 = 1 . Note that the wires cross but do not make contact at the center.

V= IRe
IRe= IR1 +IR2
Series= Re= R1+R2
Parallel= 1/Re= 1/R1+R2
Re= R1R2/R1+R2

I am assuming all 4 resistors are parallel, right? So, I just plugged the values into the equation: 1/5+1/5+1/5+1/1= 1.6; 1/1.6= 0.625
This isn't the answer though. Where am I going wrong? I know they are not in series because I tried that already. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 

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post picture as a link, we still can't see the attachment. What I do in these cases is redraw the circuit to actually show group the series and parallel resistors, that way it's easier to see where you can simplify.
 

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