If a potentiometer is used to measure the potential difference across a resistor, what must be true about the circuit?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
If a potentiometer is used to measure the potential difference across a resistor, what must be true about the circuit?
The resistor must be in series with the potentiometer.
The potentiometer must be connected in parallel with the resistor.
The potentiometer must be connected in series with the power supply.
The resistor must be short-circuited.
To measure the potential difference across a resistor, the potentiometer must be connected in parallel with the resistor.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: If a potentiometer is used to measure the potential difference across a resistor, what must be true about the circuit?
Solution: To measure the potential difference across a resistor, the potentiometer must be connected in parallel with the resistor.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand what a potentiometer is. It is a device used to measure voltage or potential difference.
Step 2: Know that a resistor is a component in a circuit that resists the flow of electric current.
Step 3: Realize that to measure the voltage across a component (like a resistor), you need to connect the measuring device (potentiometer) directly across that component.
Step 4: Connect the potentiometer in parallel with the resistor. This means both ends of the potentiometer should be connected to the same two points of the resistor.
Step 5: Ensure that the circuit is powered so that there is a potential difference across the resistor to measure.
