Confirming Pages

668

CHAPTER 18 Electric Current and Circuits

Figure 18.33 (a) A voltmeter

constructed from a galvanometer. (b) Circuit diagram of the
voltmeter measuring the voltage
across the resistor R.

50

Resistance of
galvanometer

100

Voltmeter
RG

G
RS

Im

I Im

R
(b)

(a)

Figure 18.34 Two ways to

arrange meters to measure a
resistance R. If the meters were
ideal (an ammeter with zero
resistance and a voltmeter with
infinite resistance), the two
arrangements would give exactly
the same measurement. Note the
symbols used for the meters.

Series
resistor

RS

V
A

To measure a resistance in a circuit, we can use a voltmeter to measure the potential

difference across the resistor and an ammeter to measure the current through the resistor
(Fig. 18.34). By definition, the ratio of the voltage to the current is the resistance.

18.10 RC CIRCUITS
Circuits containing both resistors and capacitors have many important applications. RC
circuits are commonly used to control timing. When windshield wipers are set to operate
intermittently, the charging of a capacitor to a certain voltage is the trigger that turns them
on. The time delay between wipes is determined by the resistance and capacitance in the
circuit; adjusting a variable resistor changes the length of the time delay. Similarly, an RC
circuit controls the time delay in strobe lights and in some pacemakers. We can also use
the RC circuit as a simplified model of the transmission of nerve impulses.

Charging RC Circuit
R

S
C

Figure 18.35 An RC circuit.

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In Fig. 18.35, switch S is initially open and the capacitor is uncharged. When the switch
is closed, current begins to flow and charge starts to build up on the plates of the capacitor. At any instant, Kirchhoffs loop law requires that
VR VC = 0
where VR and VC are the voltage drops across the resistor and capacitor, respectively. As
charge accumulates on the capacitor plates, it becomes increasingly difficult to push
more charge onto them.
Just after the switch is closed, the potential difference across the resistor is equal
to the emf since the capacitor is uncharged. Initially, a relatively large current I 0 = /R
flows. As the voltage drop across the capacitor increases, the voltage drop across the
resistor decreases, and thus the current decreases. Long after the switch is closed,
the potential difference across the capacitor is nearly equal to the emf and the current
is small.
Using calculus, it can be shown that the voltage across the capacitor involves an
exponential function (see Fig. 18.36):

12/4/08 11:38:26 PM