How is the slider connected to the switch?

[Physical_Fire]

Homework Statement

Check the attachment

Relevant Equations

V=IR

Hi,
I do not understand how the resistor affects the current in this potentiometer circuit. I asked my classmate and they said the switch is connected to the battery but I do not understand how. Why does the current increase?

 

[haruspex]

Homework Statement: Check the attachment
Relevant Equations: V=IR

Hi,
I do not understand how the resistor affects the current in this potentiometer circuit. I asked my classmate and they said the switch is connected to the battery but I do not understand how. Why does the current increase?

Redraw the diagram, switch closed, just showing the resistances and the battery. What is the resistance of the circuit?

 

[Physical_Fire]

what does this show?

 

[haruspex]

what does this show?

A voltmeter is a very high resistance, ideally infinite. So you can delete that connection.
Write an expression for the total resistance of the circuit.
Do the same for the switch open. Which resistance is higher?

 

[Steve4Physics]

what does this show?

Here are some exercises for you:

1) What is the total resistance of the first (uppper) circuit?

2) What is the total resistance of the second (lower) circuit?

3) If you have two resistors, R1 and R2 in parallel, which
of the following is true about their total resistance, Rtot:
a) Rtot is always more than R1
b) Rtot is always more than R2
c) Rtot is always less than R1
d) Rtot is always less than R2
e) none of the above.

By the way, why is the title of your post "How is the slider connected to the switch?"? This appears to have nothing to do with the question!

EDIT: I had written and posted this before I saw @haruspex's reply. I hope it helps. Not trying to butt-in.

EDIT2: My LaTeX has vanished!

 

[Lnewqban]

I do not understand how the resistor affects the current in this potentiometer circuit.

In the following diagram, each color represents a different value of current (I):

Why does the current increase?

Closing the switch adds another possible path for electrons (being pushed by the battery’s potential difference) to flow around the circuit (unless the value of that additional resistance is infinite).

 

[Physical_Fire]

Here are some exercises for you:
View attachment 358695
1) What is the total resistance of the first (uppper) circuit?

2) What is the total resistance of the second (lower) circuit?

3) If you have two resistors, R1 and R2 in parallel, which
of the following is true about their total resistance, Rtot:
a) Rtot is always more than R1
b) Rtot is always more than R2
c) Rtot is always less than R1
d) Rtot is always less than R2
e) none of the above.

By the way, why is the title of your post "How is the slider connected to the switch?"? This appears to have nothing to do with the question!

EDIT: I had written and posted this before I saw @haruspex's reply. I hope it helps. Not trying to butt-in.

EDIT2: My LaTeX has vanished!

Thank you for this. I finally understood everything. While assuming R=2, 1/Rt = 1/9 + 1/2, so Rt = 117/91, and then using V=IR it's clear that current has increased. The voltmeter reading should decrease then as the P.D across the 9 Ohms wire (to the right connected to - terminal) will increase, the overall P.D should sum up to 6.2 V. Thanks @haruspex @Lnewqban as well.