Get Current and Voltage with a Circuit with Diodes

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
4 replies · 2K views
roinujo1
Messages
41
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement


Find the V and I in the circuit shown below:

upload_2016-10-20_12-21-44.png

Homework Equations


  • D1 or 2 is off=short circuit
  • D1 or 2 is on=open circuit

The Attempt at a Solution


So, my confusion lies with deciding the on and offs of D1 and D2 . My assumption is that both of them are on and that is due to them in forward bias. However, when I looked online, D2 was off and D1 was on. Based on how the current is going into D2, how is D2 off?

Any help is much appreciated!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
roinujo1 said:

Homework Statement


Find the V and I in the circuit shown below:

View attachment 107760

Homework Equations


  • D1 or 2 is off=short circuit
  • D1 or 2 is on=open circuit

The Attempt at a Solution


So, my confusion lies with deciding the on and offs of D1 and D2 . My assumption is that both of them are on and that is due to them in forward bias. However, when I looked online, D2 was off and D1 was on. Based on how the current is going into D2, how is D2 off?

Any help is much appreciated!
Your Relevant Equations are backwards, BTW. On=short and Off=open for diodes.

What is the typical forward voltage for a silicon diode? What is the anode voltage for D2 if it is off? And if D2 were on, what would that do to the Anode voltage?
 
berkeman said:
Your Relevant Equations are backwards, BTW. On=short and Off=open for diodes.

What is the typical forward voltage for a silicon diode? What is the anode voltage for D2 if it is off? And if D2 were on, what would that do to the Anode voltage?
Thank you for the response!

Aww, I'm sorry. Yeah it does look like they are bakwards (was in a rush). Thank you for that.

Im sorry, but what do you mean by anode voltage? My assumption was that d2 was forward positive because:
upload_2016-10-20_18-46-39.png
 
Basically, I think I want to know why D1 and D2 both can't be on.
 
roinujo1 said:
Basically, I think I want to know why D1 and D2 both can't be on.
Look for circuit behavior contradiction(s) if you assume that both are on. For a quick evaluation, assume that the diodes are ideal (no forward voltage or resistance). What would be the potential V on your diagram? Determine all the currents through the components (should be simple if you know the potential drops on the resistors and KCL for the junctions). What do you get?