Math Is Fun Forum

Daniel123

Member

Registered: 2007-05-23

Posts: 663

Energy transfer in circuits

Heyyyy

I am doing my physics revision at the moment, and I have struck a problem!

The book I have says that when electrical charge goes through a change in voltage, energy is transferred... which is fair enough.

However it then says that the charge gives up this energy when it falls through any voltage drop in components elsewhere in the circuit. This made me think... in a parallel circuit, isn't the voltage the same anywhere in the circuit? So there would be no voltage drop, and therefore no transfer in energy... so how are the components given energy?

I'm sure there is something obvious I'm missing! Can anyone help?

Thanks

John E. Franklin

Member

Registered: 2005-08-29

Posts: 3,588

Re: Energy transfer in circuits

In a parallel part of a circuit, there are two nodes, one at each end of the parallel part.
The potential difference can be arrived at by subtracting the voltage from one node to the other one.
The current in the two or more paths can be different, but the voltage difference is the same because they share those two nodes (nodes=intersections of wires).  Is that what you meant??
Also see nodal analysis, which deals with intersections.
Another analysis, which I can't remember the name of, deals with loops or circular paths that you can draw in a circuit.  Might start with an "m", can't remember.
...Oh, mesh analysis, I think.

Last edited by John E. Franklin (2007-06-16 17:23:06)

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