Electric current measures (in amperes or amps) the flow of electrons through wir

Question

Electric current measures (in amperes or amps) the flow of electrons through wires. Like traffic flow, the current entering an intersection of wires must equal the current leaving it.† Here is an electrical circuit known as a Wheatstone bridge.

(a) If the currents in two of the wires are a = 26 amps and b = 13 amps as shown, determine the currents in the unlabeled wires in terms of w.

x =

y =

z =

w =

(b) In which wire should you measure the current in order to know all of the currents exactly? (Select all that apply.)

x

y

z

w

Explanation / Answer

a) from the figure we can write the KCL like this:

current b+current x = current a

current x = current a - current b = 26-13 = 13 amps

x = 13 amps

now at bottom, w+z = a

so z = a-w = 26-w

and x = y+z

so y = x-z = 13-(26-w) = w-13 amps

b)

We can choose any one of y z and w to know all the currents as these are mutually dependent.

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