Terminal voltage and electromotive force

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem involving terminal voltage and electromotive force in a circuit with a battery and resistances. The original poster presents a scenario with a battery exhibiting different voltage readings under open and closed circuit conditions, and seeks to understand the implications of these readings in relation to internal resistance and parallel resistances.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the calculation of terminal voltage and current through specific resistances, questioning the accuracy of their results and the impact of rounding on their answers.

Discussion Status

There is an active exchange of calculations and results among participants, with some expressing slight variations in their answers. The conversation indicates a collaborative effort to verify and refine their understanding of the problem, though no consensus has been reached on the exact values.

Contextual Notes

The original poster's calculations are based on specific assumptions about the circuit configuration and resistance values, which are currently under discussion. The nature of rounding in calculations is also a point of consideration among participants.

expresstrain
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Hi everybody!

I'm a physics-interested guy from Norway, who have a question. We don't have any such exellent forums in Norway. :-) I hope you understand my english by the way. :-)

Homework Statement


We have a battery with internal resistance 2 Ohm. The voltmeter shows 9 volt when no current goes through the circuit (switch open). (Then, the electromotive force is 9 volt, right?)
When this switch is closed, i.e. current goes through the circuit, the voltmeter shows 7,8 volt. In this circuit we therefore have a resistance with 13 ohm.

If we now have two resistances (13 ohm and 30 ohm) switched parallell (do you understand my english. :-) ). (Then we have a resultant resistance 9,07 ohm, right?)

Then the questions:

1. What shows the voltmeter now? (we need to find the terminal voltage, right?)

2. What's the current through the resistance with 13 ohm?



Homework Equations


-


The Attempt at a Solution



1. According to my calculations, the terminal voltage now is 7,4 volt.

2. The current through resistance 13 ohm: 0,567 Ampere.

But I don't know whether this is right?


Hope I'll get answer from some physics genius! :-)
 
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I think you've got it. I get SLIGHTLY different answers, but then you are rounding your numbers somewhat differently in different places.
 
Dick said:
I think you've got it. I get SLIGHTLY different answers, but then you are rounding your numbers somewhat differently in different places.

Ah! Good to hear! :-)
To be exact: I calculated the terminal voltage (question 1) to 7,374. Did you get the same answer?
 
expresstrain said:
Ah! Good to hear! :-)
To be exact: I calculated the terminal voltage (question 1) to 7,374. Did you get the same answer?

No. I got 7.373949579831933. :wink:
 
Dick said:
No. I got 7.373949579831933. :wink:

Heh. :-)
Thank you very much by the way!
 

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