I have a trivial question about circuit

Thread Starter

Manicarus

Joined Apr 10, 2015
3
Hi, I am new here and I have a question to ask.

Sorry that I couldn't upload the photo right next my question.
It's in the "Attached Files" corner.

In each circuit, there's a resistor and a battery.
The two circuits are sharing ground.

Is there current flowing through the line between the two circuits?
I am not sure but I remember my professor saying that
logically, there should be no current flowing through it
but in reality, there's a current flow.

Thanks.
 

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R!f@@

Joined Apr 2, 2009
9,918
According to the diagram there will be no current flowing.
Cause there is only one connection and no other path to complete the circuit.
If there is a voltage difference between the batteries there might be negligible current flow.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
Hi, I am new here and I have a question to ask.

Sorry that I couldn't upload the photo right next my question.
It's in the "Attached Files" corner.

In each circuit, there's a resistor and a battery.
The two circuits are sharing ground.

Is there current flowing through the line between the two circuits?
I am not sure but I remember my professor saying that
logically, there should be no current flowing through it
but in reality, there's a current flow.

Thanks.
What was the professor's reasoning for saying that there is a current flow in reality?

If current is flowing in the line between the two circuits, where is it going? How is it getting back to where it started? If it isn't getting back, then one side is getting an increasingly positive charge and the other side is getting an increasingly negative charge. That means that a potential difference is building up that opposes further current? What mechanism is supporting this? Where is the necessary energy coming from to continue moving charge against this ever increasing potential difference?
 

Ramussons

Joined May 3, 2013
1,404
According to the diagram there will be no current flowing.
Cause there is only one connection and no other path to complete the circuit.
If there is a voltage difference between the batteries there might be negligible current flow.
Mind explaining how?
 

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
As WBahn said there is no return path for current to flow into and out of the single common connection. Each battery/resistor is a closed loop. There is no potential difference between the wire going into the common from the right and the one from the left. There may be a potential difference between the left end of R1 and the right end of R2, but again there is no return path for current to flow....as in an open circuit.

Ken
 
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