A ideal battery is connected to a network consisting of a resistor in series with a…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Fields and their consequences · Fields and their consequences
Problem
A 12V ideal battery is connected to a network consisting of a 8Ω resistor in series with a branch containing a 4Ω resistor in parallel with a 100μF capacitor. The capacitor is initially uncharged. At time t=0 the switch connecting the battery to the network is closed.
(a) Calculate the equivalent resistance seen by the battery during the instant immediately after the switch is closed.
(b) Determine the current through the 4Ω resistor at that initial instant.
(c) Calculate the current through the 4Ω resistor after the circuit has reached steady state.
(d) Compute the rate at which energy is being dissipated as thermal energy in the 4Ω resistor at the initial instant.