Is this circuit the same as this?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a circuit involving three identical light bulbs and a fully charged capacitor, with a steady potential difference provided by a power supply. Participants are examining the brightness of the light bulbs and the equivalence of different circuit diagrams.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are considering the voltage drops across the components in the original circuit and comparing them to the modified diagrams. Questions are raised about the flow of current through different parts of the circuit and the implications of the capacitor being fully charged.

Discussion Status

Some participants are providing guidance on analyzing the circuit by suggesting to label junction points and consider the implications of the capacitor's state. Multiple interpretations of the circuit's behavior are being explored, particularly regarding the series and parallel relationships of the components.

Contextual Notes

There is a repeated question about the relevance of the capacitor when it is fully charged, indicating a potential assumption that may affect the analysis of the circuit. The discussion also reflects a focus on the relationships between components rather than providing direct solutions.

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The circuit includes three identical light bulbs and a capactior that is fully charged. The power supply provides a steady potential difference. Which light bulb(s) is brightest? I attached the diagrams.

My answer is C. Either that or A and B.
Are my rewritten drawings equivalent to the original?
 

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Consider: What's the voltage drop across Resistor A, B, C and the capacitor in the original. Then compare that to the other 2. Remember wire has a 'negligible' resistance, so across bare wire the potential has to be the same. I'm not answering your homework for you, though.
 
in the original diagram, after current flows through A and through B, it has to go through the horizontal bar in the middle. What happens there, do they cancel?
 
Does current flow through the middle? Current flows from higher potential to lower potential, right? Kind of like a ball at the top of a "potential hill". Label the left junction point 1 and label the right junction point 2 and figure out what the potential is at the points. Then post the current between the to points.
*Edit: The junctions after A and B respectively
 
Last edited:
Can I pretend the capacitor isn't there since it's fully charged?
And if I do, would A+B be in series with C?
 
pwi_rk14 said:
Can I pretend the capacitor isn't there since it's fully charged?
And if I do, would A+B be in series with C?

Yes, and yes.
 

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