Voltage around a loop

Below is a circuit with four resistors and a voltage source. We will solve this from scratch using Ohm's
Law. Then we will look at the result and make some observations. The first step in solving the circuit is to
compute the current. Then we will compute the voltage across the individual resistors.

We recognize this as a series circuit, so there is only one current flowing, \blueD iistart color #11accd, i,
end color #11accd, through all five elements. To find \blueD iistart color #11accd, i, end color #11accd,
the four series resistors can be reduced to a single equivalent resistor:

R_{series} = 100 + 200 + 300 + 400 = 1000\,\OmegaR

series

=100+200+300+400=1000ΩR, start subscript, s, e, r, i, e, s, end subscript, equals, 100, plus, 200, plus,
300, plus, 400, equals, 1000, \Omega

Using Ohm's Law, the current is:

\blueD i = \dfrac{V}{R_{series}} = \dfrac{20\,\text V}{1000\,\Omega} = 0.020\,\text A = 20 \,\text{mA}i=

series

1000Ω

20V

=0.020A=20mAstart color #11accd, i, end color #11accd, equals, start fraction, V, divided by, R, start
subscript, s, e, r, i, e, s, end subscript, end fraction, equals, start fraction, 20, start text, V, end text,
divided by, 1000, \Omega, end fraction, equals, 0, point, 020, start text, A, end text, equals, 20, start
text, m, A, end text

Now we know the current. Next we find the voltages across the four resistors. Go back to the original
schematic and add voltage labels to all five elements:
Apply Ohm's Law four more times to find the voltage across each resistor:

v\phantom{_{\text{R1}}} = \blueD i\,\text Rv

R1

=iRv, empty space, equals, start color #11accd, i, end color #11accd, start text, R, end text

v_{\text{R1}} = 20\,\text{mA} \cdot 100\,\Omega = +2\,\text{V}v

R1

=20mA⋅100Ω=+2Vv, start subscript, start text, R, 1, end text, end subscript, equals, 20, start text, m, A,
end text, dot, 100, \Omega, equals, plus, 2, start text, V, end text

v_{\text{R2}} = 20\,\text{mA} \cdot 200\,\Omega = +4\,\text{V}v

R2

=20mA⋅200Ω=+4Vv, start subscript, start text, R, 2, end text, end subscript, equals, 20, start text, m, A,
end text, dot, 200, \Omega, equals, plus, 4, start text, V, end text

v_{\text{R3}} = 20\,\text{mA} \cdot 300\,\Omega = +6\,\text{V}v

R3

=20mA⋅300Ω=+6Vv, start subscript, start text, R, 3, end text, end subscript, equals, 20, start text, m, A,
end text, dot, 300, \Omega, equals, plus, 6, start text, V, end text

v_{\text{R4}} = 20\,\text{mA} \cdot 400\,\Omega = +8\,\text{V}v

R4

=20mA⋅400Ω=+8V