Chapter 26:

Direct Current Circuits

 Resistors in Series and
Equivalent Resistance

V = V1 + V2 = I1 R1 + I 2 R2 V = IReq

Req = R1 + R2 + R3 +
 Resistors in Parallel

V = V1 = V2
 Example 1:
Find the Equivalent Resistance
Four resistors are connected as shown in the
figure.
(A) Find the equivalent resistance
between points a and c.
Req = 8.0  + 4.0  = 12.0 
1 1 1 3
= + =
Req 6.0  3.0  6.0 
6.0 
Req = = 2.0 
3
 Example 1:
Find the Equivalent Resistance
(B) What is the current in each resistor
if a potential difference of 42 V is
maintained between a and c?
Vac 42 V
I= = = 3.0 A
Req 14.0 
V1 = V2  ( 6.0  ) I1 = ( 3.0  ) I 2
 I 2 = 2 I1
 Example 1:
Find the Equivalent Resistance
As a final check of our results:
Vbc = ( 6.0  ) I1 = ( 3.0  ) I 2 = 6.0 V
Vab = (12.0  ) I = 36 V
 Example 2:
Three Resistors in Parallel
Three resistors are connected as shown in the figure. A
potential difference of 18.0 V is maintained between
points a and b.
(A) Calculate the equivalent resistance of the circuit.
 Example 2:
Three Resistors in Parallel
(B) Find the current in each resistor.
 Example 2:
Three Resistors in Parallel
(C) Calculate the power delivered to each resistor and
the total power delivered to the combination of
resistors.

PT = (108 + 54 + 36 ) W
= 198 W
( V ) (18.0 V )
2 2

P= = = 198 W
Req 1.64 
 Kirchhoff’s Rules

1. Junction rule. At any junction, the sum of the currents

must equal zero:


junction
I =0

2. Loop rule. The sum of the potential differences

across all elements around any closed circuit loop must
be zero:

closed loop
V = 0
 Junction Rule

1. Junction rule. At any junction,

the sum of the currents must equal
zero:


junction
I =0

I1 – I 2 – I 3 = 0
 Loop Rule

2. Loop rule. The sum of the potential differences

across all elements around any closed circuit loop
must be zero:

closed loop
V = 0
Sign Conventions for Kirchhoff’s Rules
 Example 3:
A Single-Loop Circuit
A single-loop circuit contains two resistors and two
batteries as shown in the figure. (Neglect the internal
resistances of the batteries.) Find the current in the
circuit.

 V = 0   1 − IR1 −  2 − IR2 = 0

1 −  2
I=
R1 + R2
6.0 V − 12 V
= = −0.33 A
8.0  + 10 
 Example 3:
A Single-Loop Circuit
What if the polarity of the 6.0-V battery were reversed?
How would that affect the circuit?

1 +  2 6.0 V+12 V
I= = = 1.0 A
R1 + R2 8.0  + 10 
 Example 4:
A Multiloop Circuit
Find the currents I1, I2, and I3 in the circuit shown in
the figure.
Junction rule at c: I1 + I 2 − I 3 = 0
Loop rule:
abcda:
10.0 V − ( 6.0  ) I1 − ( 2.0  ) I 3 = 0
befcb:
− ( 4.0  ) I 2 − 14.0 V + ( 6.0  ) I1 − 10.0 V = 0

−24.0 V + ( 6.0  ) I1 − ( 4.0  ) I 2 = 0

 Example 4:
A Multiloop Circuit
I1 + I 2 − I 3 = 0  I 3 = I1 + I 2

10.0 V − ( 6.0  ) I1 − ( 2.0  )( I1 + I 2 ) = 0

10.0 V − ( 8.0  ) I1 − ( 2.0  ) I 2 = 0

4 ( −24.0 V + ( 6.0  ) I1 − ( 4.0  ) I 2 = 0 )

−96.0 V + ( 24.0  ) I1 − (16.0  ) I 2 = 0
 Example 4:
A Multiloop Circuit
I 2 = −3.0 A 

I 3 = I1 + I 2 
I 3 = 2.0 A − 3.0 A = −1.0 A
Charging a Capacitor
 Charging a Capacitor
q 
 − − iR = 0 Ii = ( current at t = 0 )
C R
Qmax =C ( maximum charge )
dq  q
= −
dt R RC
dq C q q − C
= − =−
dt RC RC RC
dq 1
=− dt
q − C RC
 Charging a Capacitor
q dq 1 t  q − C  t

0 q − C
=−
RC 0
dt  ln 
 −C
=−
 RC

q ( t ) = C (1 − e − t /RC )
= Qmax (1 − e − t /RC )


i (t ) = e − t /RC
R
Charging a Capacitor

 = RC

i = e –1 I i = 0.368I i

i = e –2 I i = 0.135I i
Charging a Capacitor
C 1 − e –1  = 0.632C

Energy supplied by battery to

fully charge capacitor is:
Qmax  = C 2
Energy stored in capacitor
1 1 2
Qmax  = C
2 2
Other half transformed
into internal energy in
resistor
 Discharging a Capacitor
q dq q dq 1
− − iR = 0 −R =  =− dt
C dt C q RC
Discharging a Capacitor
q dq 1 t  q  t

Qi q
=− 
RC 0
dt  ln 
 Qi
=−
 RC
q ( t ) = Qi e − t /RC
Qi − t /RC
i (t ) = − e
RC
 Example 5:
Charging a Capacitor in an RC Circuit
An uncharged capacitor and a resistor are connected in
series to a battery as shown in the figure, where  =
12.0 V, C = 5.00 F, and R = 8.00  105 . The switch
is thrown to position a. Find the time constant of the
circuit, the maximum charge on the capacitor, the
maximum current in the circuit, and the charge and
current as functions of time.
 Example 5:
Charging a Capacitor in an RC Circuit

 = RC = ( 8.00  105  )( 5.00  10−6 F ) = 4.00 s

Qmax = C = ( 5.00  F )(12.0 V ) = 60.0  C

 12.0 V
Ii = = = 15.0  A
R 8.00  10 
5

q ( t ) = 60.0 (1 − e − t /4.00 )
i ( t ) = 15.0e − t /4.00
 Example 6:
Discharging a Capacitor in an RC Circuit
Consider a capacitor of capacitance C that is being
discharged through a resistor of resistance R as shown
in the figure.
(A) After how many time constants is the charge on the
capacitor one-fourth its initial value?

Qi − t /RC 1
= Qi e  = e − t /RC
4 4
t
− ln 4 = −
RC
t = RC ln 4 = 1.39 RC = 1.39
 Example 6:
Discharging a Capacitor in an RC Circuit
(B) The energy stored in the capacitor decreases with
time as the capacitor discharges. After how many time
constants is this stored energy one-fourth its initial value?
q 2 Qi 2 −2t /RC
U (t ) = = e
2C 2C
1 Qi 2 Qi 2 −2t /RC 1
= e  = e −2t /RC
4 2C 2C 4
2t
− ln 4 = −
RC
1
t = RC ln 4 = 0.693RC = 0.693
2
 Example 6:
Discharging a Capacitor in an RC Circuit
What if you want to describe the circuit in terms of the
time interval required for the charge to fall to one-half its
original value rather than by the time constant ? That
would give a parameter for the circuit called its half-life
t1/2. How is the half-life related to the time constant?

Qi − t1/2 /RC 1
= Qi e  = e − t1/2 /RC
2 2
t1/ 2 = 0.693
 Example 7:
Energy Delivered to a Resistor
A 5.00-F capacitor is charged to a potential difference
of 800 V and then discharged through a resistor. How
much energy is delivered to the resistor in the time
interval required to fully discharge the capacitor?
U + Eint = 0
( 0 − U E ) + ( Eint − 0 ) = 0  ER = U E
1 2
ER = C
2
1
ER = ( 5.00  10 F ) ( 800 V ) = 1.60 J
−6 2

2
 End-of-Chapter Problems
26.4 A 34-Ω resistor and a 16-Ω resistor are connected in parallel, and the combination
is connected across a 240-V dc line. (a) What is the resistance of the parallel
combination? (b) What is the total current through the parallel combination? (c) What is
the current through each resistor?
26.18 In the circuit shown, E = 36.0 V, R1 = 4.00 Ω, R2 = 6.00 Ω, and R3 = 3.00 Ω.
(a) What is the potential difference Vab between points a and b when the switch S is
open and when S is closed? (b) For each resistor, calculate the current through the
resistor with S open and with S closed. For each resistor, does the current increase or
decrease when S is closed?
(a) The equivalent circuit when S is open is
The equivalent circuit when S is closed is shown in the figure
26.23 In the circuit shown, ammeter A1 reads 10.0 A and the batteries have no
appreciable internal resistance. (a) What is the resistance of R? (b) Find the readings in
the other ammeters.

I1 I2 (2)
I5
I3 =I2+I5
(1)
(3)
I4 =I1+I2
26.28 In the circuit shown, find (a) the current in each branch and (b) the potential
difference Vab of point a relative to point b.
26.39 A capacitor is charged to a potential of 12.0 V and is then connected to a
voltmeter having an internal resistance of 3.40 M. After a time of 4.00 s the voltmeter
reads 3.0 V. What are (a) the capacitance and (b) the time constant of the circuit?
26.49 In the circuit in the figure the capacitors are initially uncharged, the battery has
no internal resistance, and the ammeter is idealized. Find the ammeter reading (a) just
after the switch S is closed and (b) after S has been closed for a very long time.
(a) Initially all capacitors are uncharged and
the potential across each of them is zero. Just
after closing the switch, the uncharged
capacitors behave as short circuits, therefore
any resistors in parallel with them are
eliminated from the circuit. The equivalent
circuit becomes:
(25)(50)
𝑅eq = 75 + 15 + = 106.7 
25 + 50
(b) Long after closing the switch, the capacitors are fully charged and behave like open
circuits. All resistors in series with the capacitors are eliminated since no current can
flow through them. The equivalent circuit becomes as shown where the 50  resistor is
eliminated and all other resistors are in series:

𝑅eq = 25 + 75 + 25 + 25 + 15 = 165


26.68 Three identical resistors are connected in series. When a certain potential
difference is applied across the combination, the total power dissipated is 46.0 W. What
power would be dissipated if the three resistors were connected in parallel across the
same potential difference?

Since