Class 10: Outline

Hour 1:
DC Circuits
Hour 2:
Kirchhoffs Loop Rules

P10- 1

Last Time:
Capacitors & Dielectrics

P10- 2

Capacitors & Dielectrics

To calculate:
1) Put on arbitrary Q
2) Calculate E
3) Calculate V

Capacitance

Q
C=
V
Energy

E
Q2 1
1
2
U=
= Q V = C V = uE d 3 r = o d 3 r
2
2C 2
2

Dielectrics

free
G
G
q inside
CFilled with Dielectric = C0
d

A
=
w

P10-

This Time:
DC Circuits

P10-

Examples of Circuits

P10- 5

Current: Flow Of Charge

Average current Iav: Charge Q
flowing across area A in time t

Q
I av =
t

Instantaneous current:
differential limit of Iav

dQ
I=
dt
Units of Current: Coulombs/second = Ampere
P10- 6

Direction of The Current

Direction of current is direction of flow of pos. charge

or, opposite direction of flow of negative charge

P10- 7

Current Density J
J: current/unit area

G I
J I
A

I points in direction of current

G
G G
I = J n dA = J d A
S

P10- 8

Why Does Current Flow?

If an electric field is set up in a conductor, charge
will move (making a current in direction of E)

Note that when current is flowing, the conductor is

not an equipotential surface (and Einside 0)!
P10- 9

Microscopic Picture

Drift speed is velocity forced by applied electric field

in the presence of collisions.
It is typically 4x10-5 m/sec, or 0.04 mm/second!
To go one meter at this speed takes about 10 hours!
How Can This Be?

P10-10

Conductivity and Resistivity

Ability of current to
flow depends on
density of charges &
rate of scattering

Two quantities summarize this:

: conductivity
: resistivity
P10-11

Microscopic Ohms Law

G
G
E = J

or

G
G
J =E

and depend only on the microscopic properties

of the material, not on its shape
P10-12

Demonstrations:
Temperature Effects on

P10-13

PRS Questions:
Resistance?

P10-14

Why Does Current Flow?

Instead of thinking of Electric Field, think of potential
difference across the conductor

P10-15

Ohms Law
What is relationship between V and current?

G G
V = Vb Va = E d s = EA
b

V / A
J= =

A
V = I
IR
I
A

J=

A
E

P10-16

Ohms Law

V = IR

R=

A
A

R has units of Ohms () = Volts/Amp

P10-17

Examples of Circuits

P10-18

Symbols for Circuit Elements

Battery
Resistor
Capacitor
Switch
P10-19

Sign Conventions - Battery

Moving from the negative to positive terminal of a
battery increases your potential

V = Vb Va

Think:
Ski Lift
P10-20

Sign Conventions - Resistor

Moving across a resistor in the direction of current
decreases your potential

V = Vb Va

Think:
Ski Slope
P10-21

Sign Conventions - Capacitor

Moving across a capacitor from the negatively to
positively charged plate increases your potential

V = Vb Va

Think:
Ski Lodge
P10-22

Series vs. Parallel

Series

Parallel
P10-23

Resistors In Series
The same current I must flow through both resistors

V = I R1 + I R2 = I ( R1 + R2 ) = I Req

Req = R1 + R2
P10-24

Resistors In Parallel
Voltage drop across the resistors must be the same

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

1
1
1
= +
Req R1 R2

P10-25

PRS Questions:
Light Bulbs

P10-26

Kirchhoffs Loop Rules

P10-27

Kirchhoffs Rules
1. Sum of currents entering any junction in a circuit
must equal sum of currents leaving that junction.

I1 = I 2 + I 3
P10-28

Kirchhoffs Rules
2. Sum of potential differences across all elements
around any closed circuit loop must be zero.

G G
V = E d s = 0
Closed
Path

P10-29

Internal Resistance
Real batteries have an internal resistance, r, which is
small but non-zero

Terminal voltage: V = Vb Va =

Ir

(Even if you short the leads you dont get infinite current)
P10-

Steps of Solving Circuit Problem

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Straighten out circuit (make squares)

Simplify resistors in series/parallel
Assign current loops (arbitrary)
Write loop equations (1 per loop)
Solve

P10-31

Example: Simple Circuit

You can simplify
resistors in series
(but dont need to)

What is current
through the bottom
battery?

P10-32

Example: Simple Circuit

Start at a in both loops
Walk in direction of current

2 I1 R ( I1 I 2 ) R = 0
( I 2 I1 ) R + = 0

Add these: 2 I1 R + = 0 I1 =
R
We wanted I2:

( I 2 I1 ) R =
I2 = 0

I2 =

+ I1
P10-33

Group Problem: Circuit

Find meters values. All resistors are R, batteries are

HARDER

EASIER

P10-34

Power

P10-35

Electrical Power
Power is change in energy per unit time
So power to move current through circuit elements:

d
d
dq
P = U = ( qV ) =
V
dt
dt
dt

P = I V
P10-36

Power - Battery
Moving from the negative to positive terminal of a
battery increases your potential. If current flows
in that direction the battery supplies power
I

Psupplied = I V = I
P10-37

Power - Resistor
Moving across a resistor in the direction of current
decreases your potential. Resistors always
dissipate power

Pdissipated

V
= I V = I R =
R

P10-38

Power - Capacitor
Moving across a capacitor from the positive to
negative plate decreases your potential. If current
flows in that direction the capacitor absorbs power
(stores charge)

Pabsorbed

dQ Q d Q
dU
= I V =
=
=
dt C dt 2C dt

P10-39

Energy Balance

Q
IR = 0
C

Multiplying by I:

Q
dQ
d
1
Q
2
2
= I R+
I = I R+

C dt
dt 2 C

(power delivered by battery) = (power dissipated through resistor)

+ (power absorbed by the capacitor)
P10-40

PRS Questions:
More Light Bulbs

P10-41