A Quicker Way to Solve Series-Parallel Circuits

Autor/in	Keller, Philip
Titel	A Quicker Way to Solve Series-Parallel Circuits
Quelle	In: Physics Teacher, 57 (2019) 4, S.260-261 (2 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0031-921X
Schlagwörter	Physics; Equipment; Energy; Problem Solving; Science Process Skills; Visual Aids; Learning Activities; Science Activities + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Physik; Energie; Problemlösen; Anschauungsmaterial; Lernaktivität
Abstract	Before students learn Kirchhoff's rules, they are typically taught how to solve "combined series-parallel" circuits. The method presented in many textbooks begins by drawing a series of simplified circuits, replacing series and/or parallel elements with their equivalent resistances, eventually reducing the circuit to a voltage source and a single resistor. If we are only looking for the source current, then all is well. But to find the currents and voltage drops for the individual components of the circuit, students are expected to work backwards through their series of diagrams, "unsimplifying" at each step, until they are back to the original circuit. Alas, all is no longer well: students often get bogged down in this lengthy process. However, there is an alternative method that is quicker and uses a single diagram. My students make fewer mistakes with this approach, obtaining results that they can check in a manner that foreshadows what they will learn about Kirchhoff's rules. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://aapt.scitation.org/journal/pte
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01