Relationship between closing a switch and the total battery current

Thread starter kbrockway2021
Start date May 22, 2021
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Ap physics Battery Current Physics c Relationship Switch Voltage

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the relationship between closing a switch and the total battery current in electrical circuits. When a switch is closed, it creates an additional path for current flow, which increases the total current without altering the existing path's current. This principle is rooted in the fundamentals of parallel circuits, where the total current is the sum of the currents through each path.

PREREQUISITES

Understanding of Ohm's Law
Knowledge of series and parallel circuits
Familiarity with basic electrical components (resistors, switches)
Concept of current flow in electrical circuits

NEXT STEPS

Study the principles of parallel circuit analysis
Learn about Kirchhoff's Current Law
Explore the effects of adding resistors in parallel
Investigate practical applications of switches in circuit design

USEFUL FOR

Electrical engineering students, hobbyists building circuits, and anyone interested in understanding the fundamentals of current flow in electrical systems.

May 22, 2021

kbrockway2021

Homework Statement: This problem solution says that by closing the switch, battery current will increase. However, the voltage is the same, and the resistance is only increasing by adding another light bulb. So how is the current increasing

Relevant Equations: V=IR

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May 22, 2021

BvU

Science Advisor

Homework Helper

Hello @kbrockway2021 ,

##\qquad## !

See it this way: you add another path through which current can flow -- without changing anything in the original path, so here the current stays the same. When the swich is closed, the current through C will be additional.

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