Equivalent Resistance: Unravel the Mystery

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of equivalent resistance in electrical circuits, particularly in the context of complex resistor networks. Participants explore theoretical and practical approaches to understanding how resistance behaves in such configurations, including infinite networks.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express curiosity about the concept of equivalent resistance and suggest practical experimentation with resistor networks.
  • One participant proposes building a finite version of an infinite resistor network to measure voltage across resistors, implying that this could yield insights into the behavior of the network.
  • Another participant asserts that the equivalent resistance must approach a specific value and suggests that it is mathematically expressible, although the exact nature of this expression is not detailed.
  • There is mention of finding patterns and potentially forming an infinite series to analyze convergence, with a reference to practical examples from physics exams involving resistors arranged in geometric configurations.
  • A participant humorously comments on the nature of the original comic, indicating a light-hearted take on the complexities of the topic.
  • One post references a previously discussed thread on the topic, suggesting ongoing interest and exploration in the community.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the specifics of equivalent resistance in infinite networks, and multiple viewpoints regarding the approach to understanding the concept remain present.

Contextual Notes

Some discussions involve assumptions about the behavior of resistors in infinite networks and the mathematical techniques required to analyze them, which are not fully resolved in the conversation.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in electrical engineering, circuit analysis, and theoretical physics may find the exploration of equivalent resistance in complex networks relevant to their studies or interests.

martix
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http://xkcd.com/356/
I'm clueless, yet curious.
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
who knows, who cares, its unmeasureable :)

its just a cartoon, enjoy the joke on the physicist ;)

Dave
 
Well if you really want to know, build it. You don't need to build it to infinity though, just 10 resistors or so in each direction should get you pretty close. Then measure the voltage across each resistor to see how the network carries it.
 
It has to approach some value and certainly has to be mathematically expressible.

On a side note, the comic is pure genius. :D Guess I got sniped as too... well, not that I'm dead, but I certainly caught some flak since it's 5AM and I'm still actively waiting on a reply here.
 
yeah, the trick is find the pattern. see if you can make an infinite series out of it and see if it converges. something along those lines. and I'm sure it does, because if you measure between two points on a metal sheet, it won't be zero no matter how big the sheet gets. but my head hurts, and I'm lazy.

we got stuff similar on physics exams years ago, but smaller, say between the diagonals of a cube where the edges are resistors and the corners nodes. there it becomes a symmetry trick. or, mesh/nodal analysis when you get to circuits courses.
 
Already discussed in this thread: [thread]206096[/thread] (now locked 'cause it's too old).
 
^ugly.
 

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