CK-12 Physics Concepts - Intermediate

Answer Key

Chapter 19: Electrical Circuits

19.1 Series Circuits

Review

Questions

1. There are three 20.0 Ohm resistors connected in series across a 120 V
generator.
a. What is the total resistance of the circuit?
b. What is the current in the circuit?
c. What is the voltage drop across one of the resistors?
2. A 5.00Ω, a 10.0Ω, and a 15.0Ω resistor are connected in a series across a 90.0 V
battery.
a. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit?
b. What is the current in the circuit?
c. What is the voltage drop across the 5.00Ω resistor?
3. A 5.00Ω and a 10.0Ω resistor are connected in series across an unknown voltage.
The total current in the circuit is 3.00 A.
a. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit?
b. What is the current through the 5.00Ω resistor?
c. What is the total voltage drop for the entire circuit?

Answers

1.
a. Using 𝑅𝑇 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅3 ∶ 20Ω + 20Ω + 20Ω = 60Ω ∶ 𝐑 𝐓 = 𝟔𝟎𝛀
𝑉 120𝑉
b. Using 𝐼 = 𝑅 ∶ = 𝟐𝑨
60Ω

c. Using 𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅 ∶ (2𝐴)(20Ω) = 𝟒𝟎𝑽 (this is the same for each resistor)

2.
a. Using 𝑅𝑇 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅3 ∶ 5Ω + 10Ω + 15Ω = 30Ω ∶ 𝐑 𝐓 = 𝟑𝟎𝛀
𝑉 90𝑉
b. Using 𝐼 = 𝑅 ∶ 30Ω = 𝟑𝑨

c. Using 𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅 ∶ (3𝐴)(5Ω) = 𝟏𝟓𝑽

3.
a. Using 𝑅𝑇 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 ∶ 5Ω + 10Ω = 15Ω ∶ 𝐑 𝐓 = 𝟏𝟓𝛀

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 𝑉 45𝑉
b. Using 𝐼 = 𝑅 ∶ 15Ω = 𝟑𝑨

c. Using 𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅 ∶ (3𝐴)(15Ω) = 𝟒𝟓𝑽

19.2 Parallel Circuits

Review

Questions

1. Three 15.0Ω resistors are connected in parallel and placed across a 30.0 V potential
difference.
a. What is the equivalent resistance of the parallel circuit?
b. What is the total current through the circuit?
c. What is the current through a single branch of the circuit?
2. A 12.0Ω and a 15.0Ω resistor are connected in parallel and placed across a 30.0 V
potential.
a. What is the equivalent resistance of the parallel circuit?
b. What is the total current through the circuit?
c. What is the current through each branch of the circuit?
3. A 120.0Ω resistor, a 60.0Ω resistor, and a 40.0Ω resistor are connected in parallel
and placed across a potential difference of 12.0 V.
a. What is the equivalent resistance of the parallel circuit?
b. What is the total current through the circuit?
c. What is the current through each branch of the circuit?

Answers

1.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3
a. Using 𝑅 = 𝑅 + 𝑅 + 𝑅 … ∶ = 15Ω + 15Ω + 15Ω ∶ = 15Ω ∶ 𝑹𝑻 = 𝟓𝛀
𝑇 1 2 3 𝑅𝑇 𝑅𝑇

b. Using 𝐼𝑇 = 𝐼1 + 𝐼2 + 𝐼3 …

𝑉𝑇 𝑉𝑇 𝑉𝑇 30.0𝑉 30.0𝑉 30.0𝑉

𝐼𝑇 = ( ) + ( ) + ( ) = ( )+( )+( ) : 𝑰𝑻 = 𝟔𝑨
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 15Ω 15Ω 15Ω
𝑉 30.0𝑉
c. Using 𝐼 = 𝑅 ∶ 𝐼 = ∶ 𝑰 = 𝟐𝑨
15Ω
2.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3
a. Using 𝑅 = 𝑅 + 𝑅 + 𝑅 … ∶ = 12Ω + 15Ω = 20Ω ∶ 𝑹𝑻 = 𝟔. 𝟔𝟕𝛀
𝑇 1 2 3 𝑅𝑇

b. Using 𝐼𝑇 = 𝐼1 + 𝐼2 + 𝐼3 …
𝑉𝑇 𝑉𝑇 𝑉𝑇 30.0𝑉 30.0𝑉
𝐼𝑇 = ( ) + ( ) + ( ) = ( )+( ) : 𝑰𝑻 = 𝟒. 𝟓𝑨
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 12Ω 15Ω

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 𝑉
c. Using 𝐼 = 𝑅
30.0𝑉
𝐼1 = ∶ 𝑰𝟏 = 𝟐. 𝟓𝑨
12Ω
30.0𝑉
𝐼2 = ∶ 𝑰𝟐 = 𝟐𝑨
15Ω
3.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
a. Using 𝑅 = 𝑅 + 𝑅 + 𝑅 … ∶ = 120.0Ω + 60.0Ω + 40Ω ∶ = 20Ω ∶ 𝑹𝑻 = 𝟐𝟎𝛀
𝑇 1 2 3 𝑅𝑇 𝑅𝑇

b. Using 𝐼𝑇 = 𝐼1 + 𝐼2 + 𝐼3 …
𝑉𝑇 𝑉𝑇 𝑉𝑇 12.0𝑉 12.0𝑉 12.0𝑉
𝐼𝑇 = ( ) + ( ) + ( ) = ( )+( )+( ) : 𝑰𝑻 =. 𝟔𝑨
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 120Ω 60Ω 40Ω
𝑉
c. Using 𝐼 = 𝑅 ∶
12.0𝑉
𝐼1 = ∶ 𝑰𝟏 =. 𝟏𝑨
120Ω
12.0𝑉
𝐼2 = ∶ 𝑰𝟐 =. 𝟐𝑨
60Ω
12.0𝑉
𝐼3 = ∶ 𝑰𝟑 =. 𝟑𝑨
40Ω

19.3 Combined Series-Parallel Circuits

Review

Questions

1. Two 60.0Ω resistors are connected in parallel and this parallel arrangement is
then connected in series with a 30.0Ω resistor. The combination is then placed
across a 120. V potential difference.
a. Draw a diagram of the circuit.
b. What is the equivalent resistance of the parallel portion of the circuit?
c. What is the equivalent resistance for the entire circuit?
d. What is the total current in the circuit?
e. What is the voltage drop across the 30.0Ω resistor?
f. What is the voltage drop across the parallel portion of the circuit?
g. What is the current through each resistor?
2. Three 15.0 W resistors are connected in parallel and the combination is then
connected in series with a 10.0 W resistor. The entire combination is then placed
across a 45.0 V potential difference. Find the equivalent resistance for the entire
circuit.

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Answers
1.

a.
1 1 1 1
b. Using 𝑅 = 60Ω + 60Ω = 30Ω ∶ 𝑹𝟐 𝟑 = 𝟑𝟎𝛀
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c. Using 𝑅𝑇 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 3 = 30Ω + 30Ω ∶ 𝑹𝑻 = 𝟔𝟎𝛀

𝑉 120.𝑉
d. Using 𝐼𝑇 = 𝑅𝑇 = ∶ 𝑰𝑻 = 𝟐𝑨
𝑇 60Ω
e. Voltage drop across the 30 Ohm resistor = (30Ω)(2𝐴) = 𝟔𝟎𝑽
f. Voltage drop across parallel portion = 120𝑉 − (𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛) =
60𝑉
𝑉
g. Current through each resistor may be found using 𝐼 = 𝑅:
𝟔𝟎𝑽
𝑰𝟏 = 𝟑𝟎𝛀 = 𝟐𝑨 (same as total current, as it should be)
𝟔𝟎𝑽
𝑰𝟐 = 𝟔𝟎𝛀 = 𝟏𝑨
𝟔𝟎𝑽
𝑰𝟑 = 𝟔𝟎𝛀 = 𝟏𝑨
2. Equivalent resistance for the entire circuit is equal to the equivalent resistance of the
series circuit including the 10 Ohm resistor and the equivalent resistance of the three 15
Ohm resistors. Start with the three 15 Ohm resistors in parallel:
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Using 𝑅 = 𝑅 + 𝑅 + 𝑅 = 15Ω + 15Ω + 15Ω = 5Ω ∶ 𝑹𝑻𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒍 = 𝟓𝛀
𝑇𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙 1 2 3

Using the series resistance formula with the 10Ohm resistor and the equivalent
parallel resistance of 5Ohms: 𝑅𝑇 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 ∶ 10Ω + 5Ω = 15Ω
The equivalent resistance for the entire circuit is 𝟏𝟓𝛀.

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19.4 Ammeters and Voltmeters

Review

Questions

[3]

1. In the sketch at above, there are four positions available for the placement of
meters. Which position(s) would be appropriate for placement of an ammeter?
a. 1
b. 3
c. 4
d. All of them.
e. None of them.
2. Which position(s) would be appropriate for placement of a voltmeter?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. All of them.
e. None of them.
3. Which position could hold an ammeter that would read the total current through
the circuit?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. None of them.
4. Which position could hold a voltmeter that would read the total voltage drop
through the circuit?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3 or 4
d. All of them.
e. None of them.

Answers

1. Answer a : Position 1 (The only position offered where the ammeter would be
connected in series)

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2. Answer c : Position 3 (The only position offered where the voltmeter would be
connected in parallel)
3. Answer a : Position 1 (This position is in series, and is not on a section of the
circuit that is in parallel with another section)
4. Answer e : None of these (None of the indicated positions would place the
voltmeter in parallel over the entire circuit. An enterprising student could
certainly calculate the drop using positions 3 and 4, however.)