AP Physics 2 : Circuit Properties

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Physics 2

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Current And Voltage

3 sets of parallel resistors

 

Determine the current through .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we need to find the total resistance of the circuit. In order to find the total resistance of the circuit, we need to combine all of the parallel resistors first, then add them together as resistors in series.

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Then, add the combined resistors, which are now all in series: 

Then, we will need to use Ohm's law to determine the total current of the circuit.

 

Combine all of our voltage sources: 

Plug in our values:

We know that the voltage drop across parallel resistors must be the same, so:

Use Ohm's law:

We also know that:

 

Substitute: 

Solve for :

Plug in our values:

Example Question #1 : Current And Voltage

3 sets of parallel resistors

 

Determine the current through .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we need to find the total resistance of the circuit. In order to find the total resistance of the circuit, we need to combine all of the parallel resistors first, then add them together as resistors in series.

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Then, add the combined resistors, which are now all in series: 

Then, we will need to use Ohm's law to determine the total current of the circuit.

Combine all of our voltage sources:

Plug in our values:

 

We know that the voltage drop across parallel resistors must be the same, so:

 

Use Ohm's law:

We also know that: 

Substitute: 

Solve for :

Plug in our values:

.

Example Question #31 : Circuit Properties

3 sets of parallel resistors

 

Determine the voltage drop across .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we need to find the total resistance of the circuit. In order to find the total resistance of the circuit, we need to combine all of the parallel resistors first, then add them together as resistors in series.

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Then, add the combined resistors, which are now all in series: 

Then, we will need to use Ohm's law to determine the total current of the circuit

Combine all of our voltage sources:

Plug in our values:

We know that the voltage drop across parallel resistors must be the same, so:

Use Ohm's law:

We also know that:

Substitute:

Solve for :

We plug in our values.

Use Ohm's law:

Example Question #1 : Current And Voltage

3 sets of parallel resistors

 

Determine the voltage drop across .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we need to find the total resistance of the circuit. In order to find the total resistance of the circuit, we need to combine all of the parallel resistors first, then add them together as resistors in series.

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Then, add the combined resistors, which are now all in series: 

Then, we will need to use Ohm's law to determine the total current of the circuit. 

Combine all of our voltage sources: 

Plug in our values:

 

We know that the voltage drop across parallel resistors must be the same, so:

Using Ohm's law:

We also know that:

Substitute:

Solving for :

Plug in our values:

Use Ohm's law:

Example Question #31 : Circuits

3 sets of parallel resistors

 

Determine the voltage drop across .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we need to find the total resistance of the circuit. In order to find the total resistance of the circuit, we need to combine all of the parallel resistors first, then add them together as resistors in series.

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Then, add the combined resistors, which are now all in series: 

Then, we will need to use Ohm's law to determine the total current of the circuit. 

Combine all of our voltage sources:

Plug in our values:

We know that the voltage drop across parallel resistors must be the same, so:

Use Ohm's law:

We also know that:

Substitute: 

Solve for :

Plug in our values, we get 

Use:

Example Question #32 : Circuit Properties

3 sets of parallel resistors

 

Determine the voltage drop across .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we need to find the total resistance of the circuit. In order to find the total resistance of the circuit, we need to combine all of the parallel resistors first, then add them together as resistors in series.

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Then, add the combined resistors, which are now all in series: 

Then, we will need to use Ohm's law to determine the total current of the circuit.

Combine all of our voltage sources:

Plug in our values:

We know that the voltage drop across parallel resistors must be the same, so:

Use Ohm's law:

We also know that:

Substitute:

Solve for :

Plug in our values, we get 

Use: 

Example Question #33 : Circuit Properties

3 sets of parallel resistors

 

Determine the voltage drop across .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we need to find the total resistance of the circuit. In order to find the total resistance of the circuit, we need to combine all of the parallel resistors first, then add them together as resistors in series.

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Combine  with :

Then, add the combined resistors, which are now all in series: 

Then, we will need to use Ohm's law to determine the total current of the circuit.

Combine all of our voltage sources:

Plug in our values:

 

We know that the voltage drop across parallel resistors must be the same, so:

Use Ohm's law

We also know that:

Substitute: 

Solve for :

Plug in our values, we get 

Use

 

 

Example Question #32 : Circuit Properties

3 sets of parallel resistors

Determine the voltage drop across

Possible Answers:

None of these

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The first step is to find the total resistance of the circuit.

In order to find the total resistance of the circuit, it is required to combine all of the parallel resistors first, then add them together as resistors in series.

Combining with with with .

 

Then, combining  with  and :

Ohms is used law to determine the total current of the circuit

Combing all voltage sources for the total voltage.

 

Plugging in given values,

 

 

 The voltage drop across parallel resistors must be the same, so:

 

Using ohms law:

It is also true that:

Using Subsitution

Solving for :

 

Plugging back into ohms law in order to find the voltage drop.

 .

Example Question #35 : Circuit Properties

 identical resistors are placed in parallel. They are placed in a circuit with a  battery. If the current through the battery is , determine the current through each resistor.

Possible Answers:

None of these

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since each resistor is in parallel, the voltage drop across each will be .

Since each resistor is identical, they all have the same resistance.

Using

and

It is determined that

Example Question #36 : Circuit Properties

 identical resistors are placed in parallel. They are placed in a circuit with a  battery. If the current through the battery is , determine the resistance of each resistor.

Possible Answers:

None of these

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since each resistor is in parallel, the voltage drop across each will be .

Since each resistor is identical, they all have the same resistance.

Using

and

It is determined that

Using

 for all three resistors

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