Question

What is the current I 2 I2 through resistor R 2 ? R2? Find an expression for I 2 I2 in terms of V a , Va, V b , Vb, R 1 , R1, R 2 , R2, and R 3. R3. Take the positive direction to be downward

Answer 1

The current I2 through resistor R2 can be found by using Ohm's law to calculate the total current I, then finding the voltage drop across R2, and finally applying Ohm's law again to R2.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the current I2 through resistor R2, one must understand the properties of series and parallel circuits, and apply Ohm's law. Initially, we would find the total current (I) using Ohm's law where the total voltage (V) is divided by the total resistance (Rtot): I = V / Rtot.

Then, to find the voltage across R2, known as V2, we must subtract the voltage drop across R1 (V1 = IR1) from the source voltage. This voltage is applied across the parallel combination of R2 and R3, thus V2 = V - V1. Having found V2, we can apply Ohm's law once again specifically for R2 to find I2: I2 = V2 / R2.