Fundamentals of Electric Circuits

Tutorial 1 -Voltage, Current, Resistance, and Ohms law

1. Find the current in amperes if 650 C of charge passes through a wire in 50 s.
Solution: Q = 650 C
T = 50 s
I = Q/ T = 650/50 = 13 A.
2. Will a fuse rated at 1 A blow if 86 C pass through it in 1.2 minute?
Solution: Q = 86 C
T = 1.2 min = 1.2 *60 second = 72 seconds
I = Q/ T = 86/ 72 = 1.194 A
Yes the fuse with 1A rating will blow.
3. If 21.847x1018 electrons pass through a wire in 12 s, find the current.
Solution: Q = 1.6*10-19*21.847*1018 = 3.49 C
I = Q/T = 3.49C/12s = 0.29 A
4. How many electrons pass through a conductor in 1 min and 30 s if the current is 4 mA?
Solution: Q = I*T = 4*10-3*90s = 0.36 C
Number of electrons Ne = Q/charge of electron = 0.36/(1.6*10 -19)
= 2.25*10 18 electrons
5. Determine the current flowing through an element if the charge flow is given by
(a) q(t) = (8t2 + 4t -2) C
(b) q(t) = 10 sin120t pC
(c) q(t) = 20e-4t C
Solution: (a) i ( t )=
(b) i ( t )=
(c) i ( t )=

d q(t )
dt

d
(8t2 + 4t -2) = (16t + 4) A
dt

d
(10 sin120t pC) = 10cos120 t *120 = 1200cos120t pA
dt
d
20e-4t C = 20e-4t (-4) = -80e-4t A
dt

6. Find the charge q(t) flowing through a device if the current is:
(a) i(t) = 3 A, q(0) = 1 C
(b) i(t) = (2t + 5) mA, q(0) = 0
(c) i(t) = 20 cos(10t + /6) A, q(0) = 2 C
Solution: (a) q(t) = i(t) dt + q(0) = 3 A dt + 1 = 3t + 1 C
(b) q(t) = (2t + 5) mA + 0 = t2 + 5t = (t2 + 5t) mC
(c) q(t) = 20 cos(10t + /6) A + 2 = 20 sin(10t + /6)/10 + 2 C
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7. The charge entering a certain element is shown in figure. Find the current at:
(a) t = 1 ms
(b) t = 6 ms
(c) t = 10 ms

Solution: First find the charge equations using the formulae for the equation of line with coordinates as
(0, 0), and (2ms, 80mC)
y 1 y 2
(xx 1)
x 1x 2
080 mC
q(t) 0 =
(t 0)
02 ms
y y 1=

q(t) = 40t C, 0 t 2 ms
q(t) = 80 mC, 2 ms t 8 ms
8 ms t 12 ms; (8 ms, 80 mC), (12 ms, 0)
q(t) 80 mC =

80 mC0
8 ms12 ms

(t 8 ms)

q(t) = 80 m 20(t 8m)

q(t) = - 20 t + 80 m + 160 m
q (t) = - 20 t + 0.24 C, 8 ms t 12 ms
The charge equations are,
q(t) = 40t C, 0 t 2 ms
q(t) = 80 mC, 2 ms t 8 ms
q (t) = - 20 t + 0.24 C, 8 ms t 12 ms
(a) t = 1 ms; i =

d
d
q ( t ) = 40 t C=40 A
dt
dt

(b) t = 6 ms; i =

d
d
q ( t ) = 80mC =0 A
dt
dt

(c) t = 10 ms; i =

d
d
q ( t ) = (20 t+ 0.24 ) C=20 A
dt
dt

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8. The current flowing past a point in a device is shown in figure. Calculate the total charge through
the point.

Solution: equation of line for the points (0,0) and (1,10) is

y 1 y 2
( xx 1)
x 1x 2
10 mA 0
i(t) 0 =
(t 0)
1 ms0
y y 1=

i(t) = 10t A , 0 t 1ms

i(t) = 10 mA , 1 t 2ms
2 ms

q(t) =

1 ms

i ( t ) dt

2 ms

10t A dt+ 10 mA dt
0

1 ms

5 [ ( 1 10 ) ( 0 ) ]+ 10 10 [ 21031 103 ]
3 2

2 ms

+ 10 m t
1 ms
1 ms

5 t2
0

= 5 10 +10 10 ( 1 103 )=15 106 C=15 C

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9. What is the voltage between two points if 96 mJ of energy are required to move 5010 18 electrons
between the two points?
Solution: Charge of electron = 1.6 10-19 coulombs
Total charge Q = 50*1018 * 1.6 10-19 = 8.01 C
Energy required W = 96 mJ
Voltage V = W/Q = 96*10-3 J/8.01 C = 12 mV
10. The potential difference between two points in an electric circuit is 24 V. If 0.4 J of energy were
dissipated in a period of 5 ms, what would the current be between the two points?
Solution: V= 24 V , W = 0.4 J , T = 5 ms = 5*10-3 s
V = W/ Q
Q = W/ V = 0.4/ 24 = 0.01667 C
I = Q/ T = 0.01667/ 5*10-3 = 3.333 A
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11. How much charge passes through a radio battery of 9 V if the energy expended is 72 J?
Solution: V= 9 V, W = 72 J
V = W/ Q
Q = W/ V = 72/ 9 = 8 C
12. A coil consists of 2000 turn of copper wire having a cross-sectional area of 0.08mm2. The mean length
pre turn is 80 cm and the = 0.02.m. Find the resistance of the coil.
Solution: N = 2000, = 0.02.m = = 0.02 x10-6 .m
L = N x80 x10-2 m = 2000 x80 x10-2 m = 1600 m
A = 0.08mm2 =0.08 x10-6 m2
R=

l
A

0.02 x 106 x 1600

0.08 x 106

= 400

13. What is the potential drop across a 6 resistor if the current through it is 2.5 A?
Solution: V = IR , from ohm's law
V = 6*2.5A = 15 V
14. What is the current through a 72 resistor if the voltage drop across it is 12 V?
Solution: I = V/R , from ohm's law
I = 12V/72 = 0.167 A
15. The current through a 4 resistor is 7 mA. What is the power delivered to the resistor?
Solution: P = I2R = (7*10-3)2 *4 = 196*10-6 W = 196 W
16. Refer to the following figure, calculate:
a) Current Is
b) Voltage VR.

c) Power in resistance R.

Solution: Is = E/R = 12V/4k = 3 mA

VR = E = 12 V
P = I*V = 3*10-3 *12V = 36 mW
17. A small, portable black-and-white television draws 0.455 A at 9V.
a. What is the power rating of the television?
b. What is the internal resistance of the television?
c. What is the energy converted in 6 h of typical battery life?
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Solution: (a) P = I*V = 0.455A*9V = 4.095 W

(b) Rin = V/I = 9V/0.455A = 19.78
(c) W = P*t = 4.095W*6*60*60s = 88.452 kJ

18 a. If a house is supplied with 120 V, 100 A service, find the maximum power capability.
b. Can the homeowner safely operate the following loads at the same time?
5 hp motor
3000 W clothes dryer
2400 W electric range
1000 W steam iron
c. If all the appliances are used for 2 hours, how much energy is converted in kWh?
Solution: (a) maximum power capability P = V*I = 120V*100A = 12000 W
(b) Total power used = 5*746 + 3000 + 2400 + 1000 = 10130 W (1 hp = 746W)
Owner can use all the mentioned appliances, because total power used is less than maximum power
capability.
(c) W = P*t = 10130W*2h = 20260 Wh = 20.26 kWh.

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