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Worksheet: Current Divider

<^< Current Divider | Course Index | Passive Time Variant Circuits >^>

Objective: To investigate the action of a Current divider circuit.
Underpinning knowledge: Resistance. Resistors in parallel. Kirchhoff's Current Law.
Apparatus: TINA circuit file, or apparatus to make the following circuit.
TINA Circuit File: Click here to download circuit file
Initial Settings: R1 = 1kΩ, R2 = 4kΩ.
Requires: Paper, Linear graph paper, pen or pencil.
Instructions:

(a) Using initial settings verify that IOUT = IIN x R1/(R1+R2).

(b) Change R1 to 2kΩ and R2 to 3kΩ.

(c) Again check that IOUT = IIN x R1/(R1+R2).

Observations:

Confirm that, in each case, the output current is the input current multiplied by the ratio of R1 to (R1 + R2).

Further work:

(a) Devise a current divider arrangement that would drop a potential of 0.5V and produce a precise output current of precisely 0.1A from an input current of 2A. Check your answer using your circuit simulation software.

(b) The output current produced by a current divider arrangement will fall when the circuit is loaded (i.e. when a load resistance is connected to it). Investigate the effect on the output current of your current divider when connected to load resistance's of 0.1kΩ, 0.5kΩ, 1kΩ, 5kΩ and 10kΩ.

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Page last modified on August 30, 2011, at 09:14 AM