Solving a Puzzling Circuit: Find V2

  • Thread starter kaspis245
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In summary: If the voltmeters shown were ideal (infinite impedance) then there would be no complete path (circuit) for current to flow, thus no potential drops could occur across the resistors and they'd all show the same reading. But we are told that there are potential drops since the two given voltage readings are different. Does that suggest anything to you?Nope. Are you saying that voltmeters have their own resistance?Yes. They must if there's current flowing. The only path back to the source E is via voltmeters.So should I use Kirchhoff's rule or what? Please help, I am new to all of this.Well you'll surely need
  • #36
kaspis245 said:
I get n=13.232. What now?
That's a bit off from what I'm seeing. But you've made excellent progress!

Myself, I didn't solve for n first, but rather substituted ##n = \frac{8}{v2 - 8}## from the voltage divider part into the node equation which then reduced to a pretty nice quadratic for v2.
 
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  • #37
Sorry, I've recalculated it and got this equation:

## n^3-11n^2-16n-4=0 ##

Then let wolfram alpha do the work and got n=12.325

This way V2=9.94V

Is it correct?
 
  • #38
The value for n looks good. The value of V2 does not. What expression did you use?
 
  • #39
I used this expression:

## V_2= \frac{10n+10n^2}{1+3n+n^2} ##

which is derived from:

## \frac{10-V_2}{V_2}-\frac{V_2}{nR}-\frac{V_2}{R+nR}=0 ##
 
  • #40
kaspis245 said:
I used this expression:

## V_2= \frac{10n+10n^2}{1+3n+n^2} ##

which is derived from:

## \frac{10-V_2}{V_2}-\frac{V_2}{nR}-\frac{V_2}{R+nR}=0 ##
I presume that first term should be over R, not ##V_2##.
Okay, that should work. But I'm seeing a different value for ##V_2## using that equation.

I would have used the simpler voltage divider derived equation myself.
 
  • #41
I am such an idiot, I've made another mistake in my calculations.

Here's my final answer:

## V_2=8.65 V ##
 
  • #42
kaspis245 said:
Sorry, I've recalculated it and got this equation:

## n^3-11n^2-16n-4=0 ##

Then let wolfram alpha do the work and got n=12.325

This way V2=9.94V

Is it correct?
A cubic?? You have probably overlooked a term in the numerator which would have canceled a factor of this, leaving you with just a quadratic to solve.

n=12.325 is my answer, too, from the quadratic solution
 
  • #43
As long as we are getting the same answer I am ok with that :smile:
 

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