Unit: Energy and waves
Year: 1992 Question#: 28
Question: A physics student is given three 12-ohm resistors with instructions to create the circuit that would have the lowest possible resistance. The correct circuit would be a
(1 ) Series circuit with a total resistance of 36ohm
(2 ) Series circuit with a total resistance of 4 ohm
(3 ) parallel circuit with a total resistance of 36 ohm
(4 ) parallel circuit with a total resistance of 4 ohm
What is this question really asking?
Explanation by: Danielle (partly)
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Answer 1
Series circuit with a total resistance of 36 ohm
INCORRECT
A Series circuit using all three resistors would have a resistance of 36 ohm but it would not be the lowest possible resistance. return to top
Answer 2
Series circuit with a total resistanceof 4 ohm.
INCORRECT
There would be no way to create this circuit if only three 12 ohm resistors are available return to top
Answer 3
parallel circuit with a total resistance of 36 ohm.
INCORRECT
You could not create this circuit with the resistors you are given. return to top
Answer 4
Parallel circuit with a total resistance of 4 ohm.
CORRECT
This circuit could be created using all three 12 ohm resistors in a parallel arrangement.
Remember the formula for resistors in parallel is
return to top What's this question really asking?
Which circuit is the lowest resistance you could create if given only three 12 ohm resistors? return to top
