Current Electricity (v) Internal resistance of the cell

E 
r    1  R
 V 
(vi) Power dissipated in external
Cell resistance (load)
2
V2  E 
P  Vi  i 2 R    .R
R  Rr
(1) Emf of cell (E) : The potential
difference across the terminals of a cell (vii) Power delivered will be maximum
when it is not supplying any current is when
called it’s emf. E2
R = r so Pmax  .
4r
(2) Potential difference (V) : The
voltage across the terminals of a cell This statement in generalised from is
when it is supplying current to external called “maximum power transfer
resistance is called potential difference or theorem”.
terminal voltage. Potential difference is
equal to the product of current and
Pmax = E2/4r
resistance of that given part i.e. V = iR.
P
(3) Internal resistance (r) : In case
of a cell the opposition of electrolyte to
R=r
the flow of current through it is called
R
internal resistance of the cell. The internal Fig. 19.20
resistance of a cell depends on the
(viii) If E < V the cell is being charged
distance between electrodes (r  d), area
i.e. current is given to the cell then V = E
of electrodes [r  (1/A)] and nature,
+ ir
concentration (r  C) and temperature of
(ix) If V < E the cell is being
electrolyte [r  (1/ temp.)].
discharged i.e. current is given to the
A cell is said to be ideal, if it has zero
outside then V = E – ir
internal resistance.
Cell in Various Positions
(2) Open circuit : When no current is
(1) Closed circuit : Cell supplies a
taken from the cell it is said to be in open
constant current in the circuit.
circuit
R
R
C D A B
V = iR
i

E, r
E, r
Fig. 19.21
Fig. 19.19
E
(i) Current given by the cell i  (i) Current through the circuit i = 0
Rr

(ii) Potential difference across the (ii) Potential difference between A and
resistance V  iR B, VAB = E
(iii) Potential drop inside the cell = ir (iii) Potential difference between
(iv) Equation of cell E  V  ir (E > C and D, VCD = 0
V)
 (3) Short circuit : If two terminals of (iii) Main current = Current from each
cell are join together by a thick nE
cell  i 
R  nr
conducting wire
(iv) Potential difference across
external resistance V  iR
R=0 (v) Potential difference across each
V
cell V'
n
(vi) Power dissipated in the external
E, r 2
 nE 
Fig. 19.22 circuit   .R
 R  nr 
(i) Maximum current (called short (vii) Condition for maximum power
E  E2 
circuit current) flows momentarily isc  R  nr and Pmax  n  

r  4r 
(ii) Potential difference V = 0 (viii) This type of combination is used
Grouping of Cells when nr << R.

Group of cell is called a battery. (2) Parallel grouping : In parallel

grouping all anodes are connected at one
In series grouping of cell’s their emf’s
point and all cathode are connected
are additive or subtractive while their
internal resistances are always additive. If together at other point. If n identical cells
dissimilar plates of cells are connected are connected in parallel
together their emf’s are added to each E, r
other while if their similar plates are
E, r
connected together their emf’s are
subtractive. E, r

i
R

E1 E2 E1 E2 Fig. 19.25
Eeq = E1 + E2 Eeq = E1 – E2 (E1 > (i) Equivalent emf Eeq = E
req = r1 + r2 E2)
req = r1 + r2
(ii) Equivalent internal resistance
Fig. 19.23
Req  r / n
(1) Series grouping : In series E
(iii) Main current i 
grouping anode of one cell is connected R  r /n
to cathode of other cell and so on. If n (iv) potential difference across
identical cells are connected in series external resistance = p.d. across each cell
= V = iR
E, r E, r E, r E, r i
(v) Current from each cell i' 
n
(vi) Power dissipated in the circuit
i 2
 E 
R P   .R
 R  r / n 
Fig. 19.24
(vii) Condition for max. power is
(i) Equivalent emf of the combination  E2 
R  r /n and Pmax  n  

Eeq  nE  4r 
(ii) Equivalent internal resistance (viii) This type of combination is used
req  nr
when nr >> R
 (3) Mixed Grouping :
m = No of row’s connected in
parallel
n = No of Cell in each row
E, r E, r E, r
1
1 2 n

i
m

R
Fig. 19.26
(i) Equivalent emf of the combination
Eeq  nE

(ii) Equivalent internal resistance of

nr
the combination req 
m
(iii) Main current flowing through the
nE mnE
i 
load nr mR nr
R
m
(iv) Potential difference across load
V  iR
(v) Potential difference across each
V
cell V'
n
i
(vi) Current from each cell i ' 
n
(vii) Condition for maximum power mR
E2
= nr and Pmax  (mn) ;
4r
m = No of row, n = No of cell in each
row
(viii) Total number of cell = mn
 in a branch there must be some
resistance (internal or external or both)
present in that branch. In practical
situation it always happen because we
can never have an ideal cell or battery
with zero resistance.
 Some standard results for equivalent
R1 R2  In series grouping of identical cells. If
resistance
one cell is wrongly connected then it will
A B
R5 cancel out the effect of two cells e.g. If
in the combination of n identical cells
R3 R4
(each having emf E and internal
resistance r) if x cell are wrongly
connected then equivalent emf
E  (n  2x) E and equivalent internal
R1R2(R3  R4)  (R1  R2)R3R4  R5(R1  R2)(R3  Req4)
RAB  req  nr .
R5(R1  R2  R3  R4 )  (R1  R3)(R2  R4 ) resistance

R1 R2
 Graphical view of open circuit and
closed circuit of a cell.
A V B
R3
Vmax =E; i=0

R2 R1

2R1R2  R3(R1  R2) imax =E/r ; V = i

RAB  0  If n identical cells are connected in a
2R3  R1  R2
loop in order, then emf between any two
E, r
 Common misconception, “current in points is zero.
E, r
the circuit will
E, rbe maximum when power
consumed by the load Close is maximum.”
loop
E,rr)
i  E /(R 
Current is maximum
E, r
(= E/r)
when R = min
n cell
= 0 with
2
PL  (E / r)  0  0 min.
 In parallel grouping of two identical
Actually, power consumed by R the load cell having no internal resistance
E R/(R + r) is maximum when R = r
2 R 2

E
and i  (EE/ 2r)  max( E / r).
E
Pmax = E2/4r
E

 Emf is independent of the resistance E eq  E E eq  0

of the circuit and depends upon the  When two cell’s of different emf and
nature of electrolyte of the cell while no internal resistance are connected in
potential difference depends upon the parallel then equivalent emf is
resistance between the two points of the indeterminate, note that connecting a
circuit and current flowing
R through the wire with a cell with no resistance is
circuit. equivalent to short circuiting. Therefore
E1
 Whenever a cell or battery is present the total current that will be flowing will
E2
 i1 E1,r1

i i2 E2, r2
be infinity.
R

 In the parallel combination of non-

identical cell's if they are connected
with reversed polarity as shown then
equivalent emf
i1 E1,r1

E1r2  E2r1
Eeq 
r1  r2 i i2 E2, r2