CIRCUITS

ASST. PROF. DR. GÜLNİHAL MURATOĞLU

• We call such a device an emf device, and the device is said to provide an
emf ℰ, which means that it does work on charge carriers.
Work, Energy, and Emf
• The device must do an amount of work 𝑑𝑊 on the charge 𝑑𝑞 to force it to
move as shown in figure.

𝑑𝑊
• The emf of the emf device in terms of this work: ℰ =
𝑑𝑞
• The potential difference between the terminals of an ideal emf device is
equal to the emf of the device
Calculating the Current in a Single-Loop Circuit
Ways to calculate the current in the simple single-loop circuit:
Energy Method
• In a time interval 𝑑𝑡 an amount of energy given by 𝑖 2 𝑅𝑑𝑡 will appear in the
resistor as thermal energy.
𝑑𝑊 = ℰ𝑑𝑞 = ℰ𝑖𝑑𝑡
ℰ𝑖𝑑𝑡 = 𝑖 2 𝑅𝑑𝑡
ℰ = 𝑖𝑅

ℰ
𝑖=
𝑅
Potential Method
Kirchhoff’s loop rule (Kirchhoff’s voltage law):
• The algebraic sum of the changes in potential encountered in a complete
traversal of any loop of a circuit must be zero.
𝑉𝑎 + ℰ − 𝑖𝑅 = 𝑉𝑎
ℰ − 𝑖𝑅 = 0, 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒
−ℰ + 𝑖𝑅 = 0, 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒
𝑖 = ℰ Τ𝑅
• Thus, you may mentally circle a loop in either direction to apply the loop rule.
Resistance rule: For a move through a resistance in the direction of the current,
the change in potential is −𝑖𝑅; in the opposite direction it is +𝑖𝑅.
Emf rule: For a move through an ideal emf device in the direction of the emf
arrow, the change in potential is +ℰ; in the opposite direction it is −ℰ.
Other Single-Loop Circuits
• Internal Resistance: If we apply the loop rule clockwise:
ℰ
ℰ − 𝑖𝑟 − 𝑖𝑅 = 0 → 𝑖=
𝑅+𝑟
 Resistances in Series
• Figure shows three resistances connected in series to an
ideal battery.
• “in series” means that the resistances are wired one
after another and that a potential difference 𝑉 is applied
across the two ends of the series.
• When a potential difference 𝑉 is applied across ℰ − 𝑖𝑅1 − 𝑖𝑅2 − 𝑖𝑅3 = 0
resistances connected in series, the resistances have
identical currents 𝑖.
• The sum of the potential differences across the
resistances is equal to the applied potential difference 𝑉.
• Resistances connected in series can be replaced with an
equivalent resistance 𝑅𝑒𝑞 that has the same current 𝑖
and the same total potential difference 𝑉 as the actual ℰ − 𝑖𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 0
resistances. 𝑅𝑒𝑞 = σ𝑛𝑗=1 𝑅𝑗 𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅3
 Potential Difference Between Two Points
• Let’s start at point 𝑎 at potential 𝑉𝑎 .
• When we pass through the battery’s emf, the
potential increases by ℰ.
• When we pass through the battery’s internal
resistance 𝑟, we move in the direction of the
current and thus the potential decreases by 𝑖𝑟.
• We are then at the potential of point 𝑏.
𝑉𝑎 + ℰ − 𝑖𝑟 = 𝑉𝑏 → 𝑉𝑏 − 𝑉𝑎 = ℰ − 𝑖𝑟

ℰ ℰ
𝑉𝑏 − 𝑉𝑎 = ℰ − 𝑟= 𝑅 = 8.0 𝑉 𝑉𝑎 + 𝑖𝑅 = 𝑉𝑏
𝑅+𝑟 𝑅+𝑟
𝑉𝑏 − 𝑉𝑎 = 𝑖𝑅 = 8.0 𝑉
Potential Difference Across a Real Battery
• The potential difference 𝑉𝑏 − 𝑉𝑎 is the terminal-to-
terminal potential difference 𝑉 across the battery.
𝑉 = ℰ − 𝑖𝑟
• Grounding a Circuit: Figure is the same circuit except
that point 𝑏 is now directly connected to ground.
• Thus, the potential there is defined to be 𝑉𝑏 = 0.
• The potential at 𝑎 is 𝑉𝑎 = −8.0 V.
Power, Potential, and Emf
• When a battery or some other type of emf device does work on the charge
carriers to establish a current 𝑖, the device transfers energy from its source
of energy, such as the chemical source in a battery, to the charge carriers.
• Because a real emf device has an internal resistance 𝑟, it also transfers
energy to internal thermal energy via resistive dissipation.
𝑃 = 𝑖𝑉
𝑃 = 𝑖 ℰ − 𝑖𝑟 = 𝑖ℰ − 𝑖 2 𝑟
• Internal dissipation rate:
𝑃𝑟 = 𝑖 2 𝑟
• Power of emf device:
𝑃𝑒𝑚𝑓 = 𝑖ℰ
Multiloop Circuits
• Junction rule: The sum of the currents entering any junction must be equal
to the sum of the currents leaving that junction.

ℰ1 − 𝑖1 𝑅1 + 𝑖3 𝑅3 = 0
−𝑖3 𝑅3 − 𝑖2 𝑅2 − ℰ2 = 0
𝑖1 + 𝑖3 = 𝑖2 ℰ1 − 𝑖1 𝑅1 − 𝑖2 𝑅2 − ℰ2 = 0
Resistances in Parallel
• Figure shows three resistances connected in parallel to an ideal battery.
• The term “in parallel” means that the resistances are directly wired together
on one side and directly wired together on the other side, and that a
potential difference 𝑉 is applied across the pair of connected sides. Thus, all
three resistances have the same potential difference 𝑉 across them,
producing a current through each.
• When a potential difference 𝑉 is applied across resistances connected in
parallel, the resistances all have that same potential difference 𝑉.
• Resistances connected in parallel can be replaced with an equivalent
resistance 𝑅𝑒𝑞 that has the same potential difference 𝑉 and the same total
current 𝑖 as the actual resistances.
𝑉 𝑉 𝑉
𝑖1 = , 𝑖2 = , 𝑖3 =
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

1 1 1 𝑉
𝑖 = 𝑖1 + 𝑖2 + 𝑖3 = 𝑉 + + =
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 𝑅𝑒𝑞

𝑛
1 1 1 1 1 1
= + + → =෍
𝑅𝑒𝑞 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 𝑅𝑒𝑞 𝑅𝑗
𝑗=1
 The Ammeter and the Voltmeter
• An instrument used to measure currents is called an
ammeter.
• To measure the current in a wire, you usually have to
break or cut the wire and insert the ammeter so that
the current to be measured passes through the
meter.
• A meter used to measure potential differences is
called a voltmeter.
• To find the potential difference between any two
points in the circuit, the voltmeter terminals are
connected between those points without breaking
or cutting the wire.
RC Circuits
Summary
Problem-1: The 𝑒𝑚𝑓 and resistances in the circuit have the following values:
𝜀1 = 4.4 𝑉, 𝜀2 = 2.1 𝑉, 𝑟1 = 2.3 Ω, 𝑟2 = 1.8 Ω, and 𝑅 = 5.5 Ω.
(a)What is the current 𝑖 in the circuit? (240 𝑚𝐴)
(b)What is the potential difference between the terminals of 𝐵 − 1? (3.8 𝑉)
Problem-2: Figure shows a multiloop circuit containing one ideal battery and
four resistances with the following values:
𝜀 = 12 𝑉, 𝑅1 = 20 Ω, 𝑅2 = 20 Ω, 𝑅3 = 30 Ω and 𝑅4 = 8.0 Ω.
(a)What is the current through the battery? (0.30 𝐴)
(b)What is the current 𝑖2 through 𝑅2 ? (0.18 𝐴)
(c)What is the current 𝑖3 through 𝑅3 ? (0.12 𝐴)
Exercise: ‘Solve it yourself.’
• Consider a five-pointed star made of resistors as shown below. Each resistor has
resistance 𝑅 = 6 𝛺. Find the equivalent resistance between the points A and B.

Answer: 7 Ω