Current Relationship

Thread Starter

tquiva

Joined Oct 19, 2010
176
Problem:


I first began by denoting the very top middle node as A.
At node A, I applied KCL:

Σi = I - I_R - I_L
=> I = I_R + I_L

So does this mean that I_R = I_L ? And the Answer is i?
 

tyblu

Joined Nov 29, 2010
199
How did you get \(I_R = I_L\) from \(I = I_R + I_L\)? You need to define \(I_R\) and \(I_L\) in terms of \(R\) using Ohm's law, \(V = I \times R\). Just pretend the bottom terminal is ground (0V).
 

Thread Starter

tquiva

Joined Oct 19, 2010
176
With the top node as A and bottom node a B, I = I_R + I_L simplifies to:
I = (V_A - V_B) / (2R) + (V_A - V_B) / (R)
= (V_A- V_B + 2V_A - 2V_B) / (2R)
= 3V_A - 3V_B / (2R)

Where would I go from here?
 

Thread Starter

tquiva

Joined Oct 19, 2010
176
I also tried current division:

I_R = [(2/3)R]/[2R] * I_total = V_AB / (2R)

I_L = [(2/3)R]/[R] * I_total= V_AB / R

So I_R > I_L

Is this correct?
 

tyblu

Joined Nov 29, 2010
199
With the top node as A and bottom node a B...
\(I_R = \frac{V_A-V_B}{2R}\\
I_L = \frac{V_A-V_B}{R}\\
\frac{I_L}{I_R} = \frac{\left(V_A-V_B\right)/R}{\left(V_A-V_B\right)/2R}
= \frac{2R}{R} = 2
\)
\(I_L\) is 2x larger than \(I_R\).

Another way to look at this is that current is inversely proportional to resistance, or \(I \propto \frac{1}{R}\). This gives:
\(I_L \propto 1/R \\
I_R \propto 1/2R \\
\frac{I_L}{I_R} \propto 2R/R = 2
\)
 
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