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class="btn btn-default btn-block text-xs-center" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#modal-feedback" style="margin-bottom: 10px"><i class="fa fa-send"></i> Feedback</button> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-9" id="main-column"> <h1 class="page_title"> Potential divider <a href="#" class="mark-page-favorite pull-right" data-pid="211" title="Mark as favorite" onclick="return false;"><i class="fa fa-star-o"></i></a> </h1> <ol class="breadcrumb"> <li><a href="../../../physics.html"><i class="fa fa-home"></i></a><i class="fa fa-fw fa-chevron-right divider"></i></li><li><a href="../445/electricity-and-magnetism.html">Electricity and magnetism</a><i class="fa fa-fw fa-chevron-right divider"></i></li><li><a href="../181/electric-circuits.html">Electric circuits</a><i class="fa fa-fw fa-chevron-right divider"></i></li><li><span class="gray">Potential divider</span></li> <span class="pull-right" style="color: #555" title="Suggested study time: 10 minutes"><i class="fa fa-clock-o"></i> 10'</span> </ol> <article id="main-article"> <p><img alt="" src="../../electricity/15-cut-sm.jpg" style="float: left; width: 250px; height: 167px;">A potential divider is any circuit that splits the terminal potential difference into smaller units. The simplest potential divider consists only of two resistors. However, they can be used to produce variable potential differences and automatic sensors. </p> <hr class="hidden-separator"> <div class="panel panel-has-colored-body panel-purple"> <div class="panel-heading"><a class="expander" href="#"><span class="fa fa-plus"></span></a> <div> <p>Summary</p> </div> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <div> <p>A potential divider is a combination of two resistors in series used to split a potential into two parts.</p> <p>NB: While it is possible to work out all potential differences from scratch, you can elect to memorise an equation for potential dividers instead: </p> <h4 style="text-align: center;"><span class="math-tex">\(V_1={R_1\varepsilon\over {R_1+R_2}}\)</span></h4> <div class="video-embed vimeo"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="" height="420" width="100%" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/159678100"></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="panel-footer"> <div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="panel panel-has-colored-body panel-green"> <div class="panel-heading"><a class="expander" href="#"><span class="fa fa-plus"></span></a> <div> <p>Test Yourself</p> </div> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <div> <p><i>Use quizzes to practise application of theory.</i></p> <br><a class="btn btn-primary btn-block text-center" data-toggle="modal" href="#1fc13790"><i class="fa fa-play"></i> START QUIZ!</a><div class="modal fade modal-slide-quiz" id="1fc13790"> <div class="modal-dialog" style="width: 95vw; max-width: 960px"> <div class="modal-content"> <div class="modal-header slide-quiz-title"> <h4 class="modal-title" style="width: 100%;"> Potential dividers <strong class="q-number pull-right"> <span class="counter">1</span>/<span class="total">1</span> </strong> </h4> </div> <div class="modal-body p-xs-3"> <div class="slide-quiz" data-stats="6-29-211" style="opacity: 0"> <div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>The diagram shows a potential divider</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="../../images/potdiv1.png" style="width: 335px; height: 207px;"></p><p>Find the value of V.</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 2 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 6 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> 3 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 9 V</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>The resistance is in the ratio of 1 : 3 so V must be 1/3 of the pd on the other side and both pds add up to give 12.</p><p>Alternatively total resistance = 60 Ω so current =12/60 = 1/5 pd across 15 Ω is 15 x 1/5 = 3 V</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>The diagram shows a potential divider</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="../../images/potdiv2.png" style="width: 335px; height: 207px;"></p><p>Find the value of V</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 2 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 3 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 6 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> 9 V</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>The resistance is in the ratio of 3 : 1 so V must be 3 times the pd on the other side and both pds add up to give 12.</p><p>Alternatively total resistance = 60 Ω so current =12/60 = 1/5 pd across 45 Ω is 45 x 1/5 = 9 V</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>The diagram shows a potential divider</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="../../images/potdiv3.png" style="width: 335px; height: 207px;"></p><p>The value of V is</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> 3 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 6 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 2 V</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 9 V</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>The resistors are in the ratio 1/2 so V is 2 x the pd across the other half and both pds add up to 9</p><p>The current is 9/18 = 1/2 A so V = 6 x 1/2 = 3 V</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div> </div> </div> <div class="modal-footer slide-quiz-actions"> <div class=""> <div class="pull-left pull-xs-none mb-xs-3"> <button class="btn btn-default d-xs-none btn-prev"> <i class="fa fa-arrow-left"></i> Prev </button> </div> <div 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