Grounding/earthing in a simple circuit

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Dessert
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Circuit
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies the role of grounding in a simple circuit, emphasizing that grounding establishes a reference potential without affecting the voltage drop across resistors. In the provided circuit, grounding sets the potential at the midpoint between two resistors to zero volts, while the potentials on either side are +0.5V and -0.5V, respectively. This configuration results in a total potential difference of 1V across the circuit, confirming that grounding serves to stabilize voltage levels rather than alter them.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic electrical circuit concepts
  • Familiarity with Ohm's Law
  • Knowledge of voltage, current, and resistance relationships
  • Basic comprehension of grounding principles in electrical engineering
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the effects of grounding in AC circuits
  • Explore the concept of potential difference in complex circuits
  • Learn about Kirchhoff's Voltage Law and its applications
  • Investigate the role of grounding in safety and circuit protection
USEFUL FOR

Electrical engineering students, hobbyists building circuits, and professionals seeking to understand grounding effects in circuit design.

Dessert
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
I know that the purpose of grounding is to set a potential reference or to set up a sink for charges. In the circuit in the attachment, what is the function of the grounding? Does it affect the voltage drop across the two resistors?

Assume that the connection wire has no resistance and the battery has no internal resistance.
 

Attachments

  • earth.jpg
    earth.jpg
    5.8 KB · Views: 569
Physics news on Phys.org
No it doesn't affect the voltage drop (pd) across the two resistors.
What it does do is to set the potential of the point between the two resistors at zero.
To the left of the left R the potential will be positive and to the right of the right R the potential will be negative.
 
if the emf of the battery is 1V, does it mean that the potential of the circuit is 0.5V maximum, and then drop to 0V at the grounding point, and then to -0.5V after the current passes through the second R?
 
Yes. The potential of the left side of the circuit will be +0.5V and the potential of the right side of the circuit will be -0.5V
This gives a potential difference of 0.5V - (-0.5V) = 1V
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Physics domain analysis of Voltage drop in series resistor
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Undergrad Charging Capacitor with one terminal grounded
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
Undergrad Can current flow in an open circuit?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Undergrad Does current decrease inside a wire or does it increase it's velocity?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Undergrad An attempt to understand the associated variable conventions in circuits
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
High School Is it Possible for a Short Circuit to Contradict Voltage in a Parallel Circuit?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Undergrad How is Potential Difference Created across a Resistor?
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
4K
High School What Happens When You Connect Different Voltage Batteries in Parallel?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Undergrad Trying to better understand the physics of electrical earth ground
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
4K
Undergrad Potential difference between a battery's terminal and Earth ground
  • · Replies 58 ·
2
Replies
58
Views
5K