EXERCISE 13

ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

PAGE 164

1 In the sketch, the light bulbs B and P are identical.

1.1 How does the brightness of the light bulbs
compare?
Explain your answer.
The brightness is the same.
Since the light bulbs are identical,
equal currents will flow through
both of them.

1.2 If the magnitude of the current through the

battery is I, what is the current flowing through
the light bulbs P and B?
½ I; the current divides equally.

1.3 Does the current first flow through P and

then through B, or first B and then P, or
neither of these?
Explain your answer.
Neither of these
The current divides and flows through both
simultaneously.

2 Answer the following questions about the

sketch below:

2.1 What is the total resistance of the circuit when switch

S is open?
RT = R1 + R2
= 10 + 5
= 15 Ω

2.2 Calculate the current in the circuit with S open.

V
I=R
45
= 15
=3A

2.3 Calculate the potential difference across the

10 Ω resistor if S is open.
V=I×R
= 3 × 10
= 30 V

2.4 Calculate the total resistance in the circuit if switch S

is closed.
1 1 1
R=5+5
2
=5
RP 5
1 =2
= 2,5 Ω

RT = RP + 10 Ω
= 2,5 + 10
= 12,5 Ω

2.5 Calculate the current through the 10 Ω resistor if S is

closed.

V
I= R
45
= 12,5
= 3,6 A

2.6 Calculate the potential difference across the parallel

resistors if S is closed.
V=I×R
= 3,6 × 2,5
=9V
2.7 Calculate the current through one of the 5 Ω
resistors.
I=V
R
9
I=5
= 1,8 A

2.8 Calculate the potential difference across one of the

5 Ω resistors.

9 V, the potential difference across the

parallel connection is the same as that of
each of its branches.

3 Consider the following circuit and answer the questions

that follow.
Three resistors of 3 Ω, 4 Ω and 6 Ω are connected in
series. The voltmeter reading across the 4 Ω resistor is 2
V.
3.1 Calculate the total resistance of the circuit.
 RT = R1 + R2 + R3
RT = 6 + 4 + 3
RT = 13 Ω

3.2 Calculate the current through the 4 Ω resistor.

V
R =I
2
4=I
I = 0,5 A

3.3 What current will flow through the 6 Ω resistor?

0,5 A

3.4 Calculate the reading on voltmeter VT.

VT = I T × R T
VT = 0,5 × 13
VT = 6,5 V

3.5 Calculate the reading on V1.

V1 = I × R 1
V1 = 0,5 × 3
V1 = 1,5 V

3.6 What will happen to the ammeter reading if the

6 Ω resistor is replaced with a 2 Ω resistor? Give
a reason for your answer.

It will increase. The total resistance of the circuit

will decrease, and therefore the current will
Increase (I α 1/R ).

4 Consider the following circuit and answer the

questions that follow. Three light
bulbs with resistances of 2 Ω,
4 Ω and 6 Ω are connected to a
battery with an emf of 12 V.
4.1 Calculate the resistance of the circuit.
1 1 1 1
RP = R1 + R2 + R3
1 1 1 1
RP = 2 + 4 + 6
1 6+3+2
RP = 12
12
RP = 11 = 1,09 Ω

4.2 Calculate the ammeter reading on A1.

VT
I = RP
12
I = 1,09
I = 11 A

4.3 What will the potential difference across the parallel

connection be?
12 V; the potential difference across the parallel
connection is the same as that of each of its branches.
4.4 Through which resistor will the greatest current flow?
Give a reason for your answer.
2 Ω; the biggest current flows through the smallest
resistance.

4.5 Calculate the current through A4.

VP
IA4 = R6Ω
12
IA4 = 6
IA4 =2 A

4.6 Calculate the current through A3.

VP
IA3 = R4Ω
12
IA3 = 4
IA3 = 3 A
4.7 What will happen to the reading on A1 if the 2 Ω light
bulb blows? Give a reason for your answer.
The reading will decrease. If the 2 Ω light bulb blows, RP
will increase.
Since I ∝ 1/R the total current will decrease if the
resistance increases.
5 Consider the following circuit and answer the questions
that follow:
5.1 Calculate the reading on
V3.
V3 = I × R3Ω
V3 = 2 × 3.
V3 = 6 V

5.2 What is the potential difference across the 6 Ω

resistor? Give a reason for your answer.
6 V; potential difference across the parallel connection
is
the same as that of each of its branches.

5.3 Calculate the resistance of the parallel connection.

1 1 1
RP = 3 + 6
1 2+1
RP = 6
6
RP = 3 = 2 Ω

5.4 Calculate the potential difference of the battery.

VT = VP + VR
VT = 6 + 6
VT = 12 V
5.5 Calculate the current through ammeter A.
VP
I = RP
6
I=2
I=3A
5.6 Calculate the resistance of resistor R.
VR
R= I
6
R= 3
R = 2Ω

5.7 What will happen to the ammeter reading on

A if more resistors are added in parallel? Give a
reason for your answer.
The reading will increase. More resistors in parallel will
decrease RP. If the resistance decreases, then the total
current increases.
5.8 Why is it not advisable to connect a large number of
electrical appliances to one wall socket?
The more appliances connected in parallel, the smaller
the total resistance. The current can then increase to
such
an extent that the wires get too hot and catch alight.
6. Two resistors of different magnitudes are
connected in parallel. Which of the following
statements is TRUE?

B. The potential difference across each resistor is the

same.

7. Each resistor in the circuit shown has a resistance

of 3 ohms. The four ammeters are identical and of
negligible resistance. Consider the following
statements and state which of the following are TRUE.
I A1 and A2 give equal readings.
II A3 and A4 give equal readings.
III The reading on A3 is
twice that ofA2.

B. II only
8 Learners set up a circuit as shown in the diagram
below. The reading on V1 is 6V.
Each of bulbs A and B has a
resistance of 2 Ω and bulb C
has a resistance of 3 Ω.

8.1.1 Define the term emf.

The energy transferred by the battery per unit
charge.

8.1.2 Calculate the effective resistance of bulbs A and B.

1 1 1
RP = RA + RB OR RA x RB
1 1 1 RP = RA + RB
RP = 2 + 2 2(2)
RP = 1 Ω RP = 2 + 2
RP = 1 Ω
8.2 Switch S is now closed for a short time. Determine the
reading on V2 and V3.
V1
IT = R T
6
IT = (1 + 3)
IT = 1,5 A

V3 = IT⋅RC
V3 = 1,5(3)
V3 = 4,5 V

V2 = V1- V3 = 6 - 4,5 = 1,5 V OR V 2 = IT × R P

= 1,5 × 1
= 1,5 V

8.3 Calculate the energy transfer in bulb C in 3

seconds if the current in the circuit is 2A.

V = W/Q and I = Q/∆t

Therefore: W = VQ and Q = I∆t
Therefore:
W = VI∆t
W = 4,5(1,5)(3)
W = 20,25 J
8.4 All the bulbs are now connected in parallel.
How will the total current in the circuit be
affected?
Write down only INCREASES, DECREASES or
REMAINS THE SAME.

Increase

9.1 Determine the combined resistance of the

parallel set of resistors.
R18Ω⋅R6Ω OR 1 1 1
RP = R18Ω + R6Ω R P = R1 + R2
18(6) 1 1 1
RP = 18 + 6 RP = 18 + 6
RP = 4,5 Ω RP = 4,5 Ω

9.2 Calculate the total resistance of the circuit.

RT = R1 + R2 + RP
RT = 1 + 0,5 + 4,5
RT = 6 Ω
9.3 Calculate the current flowing in the 18 Ω resistor.
VP = IT⋅RP
VP = 2(4,5)
VP = 9 V
VP
I18Ω = R18Ω
9
= 18
I18Ω = 0,5 A

9.4 If the reading on V1 is 1 V, then what would you

expect the reading on V2 to be?
V T = V1 + V2 + VP
12 = 1 + 9 + V2
V2 = 2V

9.5 What is the potential difference over the parallel set of

resistors?
VP = 9 V (already calculated in 9.3)
10.1 Draw an ammeter on the diagram that
measures the current at point A.

10.2 The current at A was found to be 0,6 A. What is the

current at point C?
0,6 A

10.3 How much charge passed point C if the

circuit was closed for 2 minutes?
Q = I∆t
Q = 0,6(120)
Q = 72 C

10.4 In the circuit diagram drawn in Question 10.1, draw

in a voltmeter measuring the potential difference
between point A and B.
On circuit diagram at 10.1.
10.5 The battery was marked as 3,0 V. The voltage across
AB was found to be 1,8 V. What is the voltage across
CD? Explain why VAB is different to VCD.
V T = V1 + V2
3 = 1,8 + V2
V2 = 1,2 V
VCD = 1,2 V (different from VAB because bulbs resistances
differ)

10.6 How will the brightness of bulb 1 compare to bulb 2?

Explain why this is observed.
V1 > V2 ∴ bulb 1 is brightest (more energy converted per unit
charge in bulb 1). It is because the light bulbs have
different magnitudes of resistance, R1 > R2.

11 Consider the diagrams of the following circuits.

The potential difference across each of the
batteries is the same. The resistance of each
bulb is the same.

11.1 In which circuit are the bulbs burning with the same
brightness as in circuit 1?
Circuit 2
11.2 In which circuit are the light bulbs the dimmest?
Circuit 3
11.3 Choose the correct word in brackets:
Resistors in parallel are (CURRENT/POTENTIAL) dividers.
Current
11.4 A car’s headlights may be described as part of a simple
circuit. Which circuit best describes a car with two
functioning headlights?
Circuit 2