Resistor is a device used in electrical circuits to maintain a constant

relation between current flow and voltage. Resistors are used to lower
the voltage at different points in a circuit.
Resistance

? Resistance is the opposition a material offers to the flow of charges through it.
? The SI unit of resistance is ohm, named after Georg Simon Ohm.
? The Greek letter omega Ω is used to represent the unit ohm.
Factors Affecting Resistance of an object

?  
 Resistivities of some materials at 200C
 

   
Material ƿ (Ωm)
   
Aluminum 2.75 x 10 -8
   
Copper 1.72 x 10 -8
   
Gold 2.44 x 10 -8
   
Iron 9.7 x 10 -8
   
Lead 22 x 10 -8
   
Nichrome 100 x 10 -8
   
Platinum 10.6 x 10 -8
   
Silver 1.62 x 10 -8
   
Steel 20 x 10 -8
   
Tungsten 5.25 x 10 -8
 Sample Problem

?  
?  
 Electromotive Force and Potential Difference

? Electromotive force, abbreviation E or emf, energy per unit electric charge that is
imparted by an energy source, such as an electric generator or a battery.
? Potential difference is the difference in the amount of energy that charge carriers have two
points in a circuit.
? To get electric current flowing along a wire potential difference must be supplied.
? Some common sources of potential difference are
? a. electric cells, which convert chemical energy to electrical energy.
? b. generators, which convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. Generators will be
discussed in the next chapter.
? c. solar cells or photovoltaic cells, which convert light energy to electric energy.
? The standard symbol of a cell in an electric circuit is shown below.
?
? Cells also offer small resistance to electric current.
? This is called the internal resistance of a cell.
? Internal resistance is usually represented by r.
? The potential difference across its terminal when no current is flowing is called
electromotive force.
? Emf is represented by a letter E
? The potential difference across the terminals of a cell when current flows through it is
called its terminal voltage.
? Emf and terminal voltage are related as follows.
? TV = E – Ir
? where TV is the terminal voltage in volts, E is the emf in volts, I is the current, and r is the
internal resistance of the cell.
 Sample Problem

? The emf of a cell is 1.56 V. When a current of 1.32 A flows through it, the potential difference
across its terminals 1.45 V. Find (a) terminal voltage of the cell and (b) its internal resistance.
? Solution
? Given
? E = 1.56 V I = 1.32 A
? a. Based on the definition of terminal voltage,
? TV = 1.45 V
? b. Using the equation TV = E – Ir
? Solving for r,
? 1.45 V = 1.56 V – (1.32 A)r
? r = 0.08Ω
Simple Electric Circuits

? A series circuit is one that contains more than one piece of electric apparatus (or resistors)
connected one after another in a single line.
? In series circuit, the current flows in a single path and is the same in all parts, regardless of
resistance.
? A parallel circuit is one where two or more pieces of electrical apparatus (or resistors) are
connected side by side so that the current is divided between them.
 Laws for Resistors in Series and Resistors in Parallel
 

Resistor in series Resistor in Parallel

   
   
 
 
 
 
 
  

1. The total resistance is the sum of the individual resistances.

 
RT = R1 + R2 + R3 + …
 

2. The current is the same in all resistors. 2. The main current entering the combination of resistors
  divides and part of it goes through each resistor.
I1 = I2 = I 3 = …  
  IT = I1 + I2 + I 3 + …

3. The total voltage across the combination is the sum of the 3. Voltage across the resistors are equal.
voltages across each resistor.  
  V1 = V2 = V 3 = …
VT = V1 + V2 + V3 + …
 
 Sample Problem

?  
 Combination of series and parallel Connections
? Sample Problem
? Find the equivalent resistance of the combination of resistors shown.

? Solution
? R2 and R3 are in series. Therefore, their equivalent resistance
? R23 = R2 + R3
? = 3.5 Ω + 2.5 Ω
? =6Ω
?  
? Replacing the parallel group of R23 and R4 by Rp reduces the combination to pure series
resistors.

? Therefore, the total resistance RT = R1 + Rp + R5

? RT = 5.0 Ω + 4.8 Ω + 9.2 Ω
? RT = 19 Ω