Kirchhoff's Rule: Find Current in Resistors

Thread starter phunphysics2
Start date Feb 12, 2013

In summary, Kirchhoff's Rule, or Kirchhoff's Circuit Laws, are a set of rules used in circuit analysis to determine current and voltage. The two laws, Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL) and Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL), state that the total current entering a node must be equal to the total current leaving the node, and that the sum of voltage drops in a closed loop must be equal to the sum of voltage rises. To apply Kirchhoff's Rule, a circuit diagram must be drawn and known values labeled, and the rule is limited by assumptions of steady state, no changing magnetic fields, and linear resistors.

Feb 12, 2013

phunphysics2

Find The current through each of the resistors (see graphics)

V=IR

I would like for someone to please check my work to see if I have set it up correctly. No need to check actual values. Thank you!

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Feb 13, 2013

CWatters

Science Advisor

Homework Helper

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I was going to but I'm afraid I was put off by your hand writing. It's almost as bad as mine :-)

What is Kirchhoff's Rule?

Kirchhoff's Rule, also known as Kirchhoff's Circuit Laws, are a set of rules used in circuit analysis to determine the current and voltage in a circuit. There are two laws - Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL) and Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL).

What is Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL)?

Kirchhoff's Current Law states that the total current entering a node in a circuit must be equal to the total current leaving the node. This law is based on the principle of conservation of charge.

What is Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL)?

Kirchhoff's Voltage Law states that the sum of all the voltage drops in a closed loop must be equal to the sum of all the voltage rises in the same loop. This law is based on the principle of conservation of energy.

How do you apply Kirchhoff's Rule to find the current in resistors?

To find the current in a resistor using Kirchhoff's Rule, you first need to draw a circuit diagram and label all the known values. Then, apply Kirchhoff's Current Law and Kirchhoff's Voltage Law to set up a system of equations. Solve the equations to find the unknown current in the resistor.

What are the limitations of Kirchhoff's Rule?

Kirchhoff's Rule assumes that the circuit is in a steady state and that there are no changing magnetic fields. It also assumes that the resistors in the circuit are linear, meaning that their resistance does not change with voltage or current. Additionally, Kirchhoff's Rule may not be accurate for very small or very large circuits.