University Physics with Modern Physics (14th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321973615
ISBN 13: 978-0-32197-361-0

Chapter 26 - Direct-Current Circuits - Problems - Exercises - Page 873: 26.2

Answer

$R_x = 7.5 \mathrm{~\Omega}$

Work Step by Step

The 4 resistors are connected in parallel, therefore, the Ohmmeter measures 2$\Omega$ which is the equivalent resistance of the total resistors. In this case, we could find the resistance $x$ by \begin{gather*} \dfrac{1}{R_{\text{eq}}} = \dfrac{1}{R_{1}} + \dfrac{1}{R_{2}} + \dfrac{1}{R_{3}} +\dfrac{1}{R_{x}} \\ \dfrac{1}{R_{x}} = \dfrac{1}{R_{\text{eq}}} - \dfrac{1}{R_{1}} - \dfrac{1}{R_{2}} - \dfrac{1}{R_{3}} \end{gather*} Subsitute the values for $R_{1}, R_{2}, R_{3}$ and $R_{\text{eq}}$ to get $R_{x}$ \begin{align*} \dfrac{1}{R_{x}} & = \dfrac{1}{R_{\text{eq}}} - \dfrac{1}{R_{1}} - \dfrac{1}{R_{2}} - \dfrac{1}{R_{3}} \\ & = \dfrac{1}{ 2 \mathrm{~\Omega} } - \dfrac{1}{ 15 \mathrm{~\Omega}} - \dfrac{1}{ 5 \mathrm{~\Omega}} - \dfrac{1}{ 10 \mathrm{~\Omega}} \\ &= \dfrac{2}{15} \end{align*} Therefore, the resistance $R_x$ is the $$R_x = \dfrac{15}{2} = 7.5 \mathrm{~\Omega}$$  
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