Find current through inductor that parallels a resistor

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around analyzing a circuit involving an inductor and a resistor after a switch is opened. Participants are tasked with finding the current through the inductor (IL(t)), the current through another resistor (i0(t)), and the voltage across that resistor (V0(t)) for t > 0. The focus is on applying circuit analysis techniques, including Thevenin/Norton equivalents and current division.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • The initial conditions of the circuit are established, noting that the switch has been closed for a long time before being opened at t = 0.
  • One participant proposes that since the inductor has been closed for a long time, the voltage across it is 0, leading to a question about the voltage across a parallel resistor.
  • There is a calculation of the current through a 0.1Ω resistor, suggesting that all current may flow through the inductor initially.
  • The participant derives an expression for IL(t) as 20e(-5t) A after the switch is opened, based on the equivalent resistance and applying Kirchhoff's laws.
  • Another participant confirms the results for IL(t) and i0(t) but suggests a re-evaluation of the calculation for V0(t).
  • A correction is made regarding the voltage across the resistor, with a clarification on the sign of the voltage drop based on current direction.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the results for IL(t) and i0(t), but there is a correction regarding the calculation of V0(t). The discussion reflects some uncertainty about the implications of voltage direction and the sign of the voltage drop.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved aspects regarding the assumptions made about the circuit behavior when the switch is opened, particularly concerning the initial conditions and the implications for voltage across the resistors.

Color_of_Cyan
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Homework Statement






The switch in the circuit has been closed for a long time before it is opened at t = 0.


Find:

a. IL(t) for t > 0

b. i0(t) for t > 0

c. V0(t) for t > 0


Homework Equations



equivalent resistance, equivalent current, equivalent voltage

voltage division, current division,

V through inductor = L*(dI/dt)

Thevenin / Norton procedures

The Attempt at a Solution




So at the beginning I changed the above to this and simplified the resistors to the right of the inductor to 10Ω with 10 parallel 40 which is 8 and then added to 2 in series to get 10:




Then I changed the current source to the Thevenin equivalent voltage to get this:





But since the switched was closed for a long time and the current through the inductor wasn't changing, the voltage through the inductor is 0.

But what I DO NOT know now...


Does this mean that there's ALSO NO voltage through the 10Ω resistor which now parallels it?


This would mean that there's only voltage across the 0.1Ω resistor which is 2V across. Therefore the current across the 0.1Ω would be

2/0.1 = 20A

So would all the current go across the inductor and not the 10Ω?


If so, then the current through the inductor at the beginning with the switch closed for a long time would be 20A at t=0 .

So then with the switch open the equivalent resistance in the loop left over is 10Ω and so the total V is

10Ω * I +L(dI/dt) = 0;

10Ω*I = -2H*(dI/dt)

(-10Ω/2H)dt = dI/I

integrating both sides gets:

-5t + c = ln I

then if t = 0 then I = 20A. Substituting this initial condition gets C = 3 so

-5t + 3 = ln I; so


e(-5t + 3) = e(ln I)


So ILt = 20e(-5t)A. And this is the total current for the rest of the loop in the circuit with the switch opened too.

Using current division between the 10Ω and 40Ω gets

I = 4e(-5t)A through the 40Ω

Since i0 is going in the opposition direction from the diagram it would be

i0t = -4e(-5t)A

then V = IR so

V0t = 4e(-5t)A * 40Ω

= 80e(-5t)V





Did I do all of this right or did I go wrong somewhere? Thank you.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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You've got the right results for IL(t) and io(t). Check your math for Vo(t); what's -4 x 40?
 
Thanks again gneill.

Rushed the end of my post there though so V0t is actually

-160e(-5t)V

So the drop is negative because the current goes in the direction from - to + across V0,

and would be positive if it was + to - instead, right?
 
Color_of_Cyan said:
Thanks again gneill.

Rushed the end of my post there though so V0t is actually

-160e(-5t)V

So the drop is negative because the current goes in the direction from - to + across V0,

and would be positive if it was + to - instead, right?

Yup. Looks good.
 

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