Kirchhoff’s voltage law, Kirchhoff’s current law, resistors, and voltage are integral components of the voltage current divider rule, an analytical tool used to determine the voltage across a resistor in a parallel circuit. This rule states that the voltage across each resistor is inversely proportional to the resistance of the resistor, and the sum of the currents through each resistor is equal to the total current in the circuit.
Voltage Current Divider Rule
A voltage divider is a circuit that takes an input voltage Vin and produces an output voltage Vout that is a fraction of the input voltage. The fraction of the input voltage that appears at the output is determined by the values of the two resistors in the voltage divider.
Voltage Divider Circuit
A voltage divider circuit consists of two resistors connected in series with each other. The input voltage is applied across the two resistors, and the output voltage is taken from the junction between the two resistors.
[Image of a voltage divider circuit]
The voltage divider rule states that the output voltage Vout is equal to the input voltage Vin multiplied by the ratio of the resistance of the resistor connected to the output R2 to the total resistance of the two resistors R1 + R2.
[Image of a voltage divider circuit]
$$V_{out} = V_{in} * \frac{R_2}{R_1 + R_2}$$
Applications of Voltage Dividers
Voltage dividers are used in a variety of applications, including:
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Voltage reduction: Voltage dividers can be used to reduce the voltage of a power supply to a lower voltage that is suitable for a particular device.
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Voltage level shifting: Voltage dividers can be used to shift the voltage level of a signal to a higher or lower level.
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Analog-to-digital conversion: Voltage dividers can be used to convert an analog voltage into a digital signal.
Example of Voltage Divider Calculation
Let’s say we have a voltage divider circuit with a 10kΩ resistor connected to the output and a 5kΩ resistor connected to the input. The input voltage is 12V. What is the output voltage?
Using the voltage divider rule, we can calculate the output voltage as follows:
$$V_{out} = V_{in} * \frac{R_2}{R_1 + R_2}$$
$$V_{out} = 12V * \frac{10k\Omega}{10k\Omega + 5k\Omega}$$
$$V_{out} = 8V$$
Therefore, the output voltage is 8V.
Question 1:
How to calculate the voltage across a resistor in a voltage divider circuit?
Answer:
In a voltage divider circuit, the voltage across a resistor is equal to the total voltage of the circuit divided by the sum of the resistances in the circuit multiplied by the resistance of the resistor being measured.
Question 2:
What is the purpose of a voltage divider circuit?
Answer:
A voltage divider circuit is used to create a specific voltage by dividing an input voltage into two or more output voltages.
Question 3:
How does the voltage divider rule apply to parallel circuits?
Answer:
In a parallel circuit, the current through a resistor is inversely proportional to the resistance of the resistor. The voltage across each resistor is equal to the total voltage of the circuit.
Well, folks, that’s a wrap on voltage and current divider rules! I hope you found this dive into the world of electricity as enlightening as I did. Remember, the next time you’re dealing with circuits, these rules will be your trusty companions. Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to drop in again soon for more electrifying content. Until then, keep the electrons flowing!