What is the relationship between voltage and resistance in a circuit?

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In summary, the conversation is about solving an exercise involving Kirchoff's current law at every node to find the values of i(a), i(b), and i(c). The expert suggests using Ohm's law and assigning a reference voltage in order to find the currents. They also mention that it is not necessary to assign the direction of the current in each element, and if a wrong assumption is made, the current will turn out negative. The question is also asked if all elements in the circuit have the same voltage, to which the expert confirms that they do.
  • #1
mino206
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Hello to all,
I have been having problems to solve the exercise below,I tried to apply Kirchoff's current law at every node but still couldn't find the answer.The exercise is about finding the values of i(a),i(b)and i(c).
I hope I will have my answers here from you.
Thanks.
 

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  • #2
mino206 said:
Hello to all,
I have been having problems to solve the exercise below,I tried to apply Kirchoff's current law at every node but still couldn't find the answer.The exercise is about finding the values of i(a),i(b)and i(c).

Just Kirchhofs laws aren't enough. You'll need Ohms law at some point.

If you assign 0 volts to the wire at the bottom of the circuit you'll see that there
is actually only one point in the circuit that is at a different voltage. Call this voltage
V. If you knew V it would be easy to find all the currents in the circuit. You can
eliminate V from these equations to get a system of equations for I_a,I_b and I_c
 
  • #3
Hey,
thanks for your answer,it is a single pair node circuit so the voltage across all the elements is the same.I know what I did wrong(and kept repeating the same mistake),it was in assigning the current's direction in the 60ohms resistor.
Is there an easy way to assign the direction of the current in each element without making mistakes?
 
  • #4
mino206 said:
Hey,
thanks for your answer,it is a single pair node circuit so the voltage across all the elements is the same.I know what I did wrong(and kept repeating the same mistake),it was in assigning the current's direction in the 60ohms resistor.
Is there an easy way to assign the direction of the current in each element without making mistakes?

Generally No. However it's not really necessary. If you made the wrong assumption the
current should turn out negative
 
  • #5
Thanks again,yes it makes sense now.But in the above circuit,is the voltage across the 60ohms resistor the same as the voltage across the 600ohms?Do all the elements in this circuit have the same voltage?
 
  • #6
mino206 said:
Thanks again,yes it makes sense now.But in the above circuit,is the voltage across the 60ohms resistor the same as the voltage across the 600ohms?Do all the elements in this circuit have the same voltage?

I thought that was what you wrote in your previous post. You can of course easily check for yourself. if one end of circuit element 1 is connected with one end of circuit element 2, and the other end of circuit element 1 is connected to the other end of circuit element 2, they will have the same voltage.

The way the circuit is drawn makes it not very obvious that this is the case.
 

1. What are Kirchoff's Laws?

Kirchoff's Laws are two fundamental principles in circuit analysis that describe the behavior of electric currents and voltages in a circuit. The first law, Kirchoff's Current Law, states that the sum of currents entering a node in a circuit must equal the sum of currents exiting the node. The second law, Kirchoff's Voltage Law, states that the sum of voltages around a closed loop in a circuit must equal zero.

2. What is the problem with Kirchoff's Laws?

The main problem with Kirchoff's Laws is that they are based on idealized assumptions and do not account for real-world factors such as resistance, capacitance, and inductance. This can lead to inaccuracies in circuit analysis, especially in complex circuits.

3. How can Kirchoff's Laws be applied in practical circuits?

Kirchoff's Laws can still be used in practical circuits by making some adjustments. For example, the second law can be modified to include the effects of resistance by using the concept of voltage drops. Additionally, the equations derived from Kirchoff's Laws can be used as a starting point for solving more complex circuits.

4. Are there any limitations to Kirchoff's Laws?

Yes, there are some limitations to Kirchoff's Laws. They are only applicable to circuits that are in steady-state, meaning that the voltages and currents are constant. They also assume that the circuit is linear, meaning that the response is directly proportional to the input. In non-linear circuits, Kirchoff's Laws may not accurately predict the behavior of the circuit.

5. Can Kirchoff's Laws be used in circuits with alternating currents?

Yes, Kirchoff's Laws can be used in circuits with alternating currents. However, the analysis becomes more complex as the current and voltage values are constantly changing. In these cases, it is helpful to use phasor diagrams and complex numbers to simplify the calculations.

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