Understanding Junction Rule: Slide 10 Explanation

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the interpretation of Slide 10 from a physics lecture on the Junction Rule. Participants debate the sign of current R3, questioning why it is not represented as negative when E2 is strong enough to reverse its direction. The consensus suggests that the conventional representation of currents in a clockwise direction may lead to confusion, and that the equation I1 + I2 = I3 should be reconsidered to reflect I1 = I2 + I3 for clarity.

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http://online.physics.uiuc.edu/courses/phys102/fall06/print_files/lect06_handout.ppt#10

Slide 10


How come the sign for R3 is not the opposite, shouldn't the positive charge be carried from E2 up to R3 making it + then -
 
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The way the currents are written, I1 + I2 = I3. If E2 is sufficiently strong, the current I3 may be negative, indicating it is in the opposite direction as that which is written.

If anything the current I2 should have been written in the opposite direction and it's polarity reversed, such that I1 = I2 + I3. By convention, currents are usually written in the clockwise direction of a loop. The + sign simply indicates a higher potential.
 

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