How Do You Calculate Internal Resistance and Current Flow in a Circuit?

[debwaldy]

Homework Statement

Hi I've tried to solve this question but I keep getting stuck at a certain point, it probably very simple but any tips would be greatly appreciated

The EMF of a cell is measured using a potentiometer and is found to be 1.51V. When a voltmeter, which has a resistance of 3.5k Ohms is connected across the cell, it reads 1.49V. What is the internal resistance of the cell. What current flows through the voltmeter?
If a resistor of resistance 50 Ohms is connected across the cell, what current flows through it?

Homework Equations

Kirchhoff's rules
V=RI

The Attempt at a Solution

I said so far:
(internal resistance)*I = 1.51
1.49= I1*(3.5*10^3) - 1.51
& found I1 current flowing through voltmeter = 8.6*10^-4A but i don't know what to do from here and i think this might be wrong anyway...

 

[r_maths]

Are you sure its "3.5k" ohms?
Because that would be 3500ohms.

 

[denverdoc]

If you use kirchhoff rule and consider the two resistances: where v is the ideal voltage (that is under no load of the emf)

V-(R(int)-R(ext))i=0
and V-R(int)i=0.02 solve for R, is that what you got?

 

[debwaldy]

i don't understand,how do you solve that equation when you dontknow what V is, do i take 1.51V as the value for V in that equation?

 

[denverdoc]

yes that's the ideal voltage measured under no current. The 1.49 is with the Ir drop due to current across int resistance.

 

[debwaldy]

and i just use the current value i have already calculated?
ok i think i follow now,thanks for the help

 

[denverdoc]

and i just use the current value i have already calculated?
ok i think i follow now,thanks for the help

I'm a little unclear on your first eqn, if those don't work use the two I posted, remember its 2 unknowns and two equations tho the error from using just the 3500 Ohm resistor to compute i will likely be negligible.