A current divider circuit is an electrical circuit that allows you to split a current from a single source into multiple branches. The current flowing through the source resistor or component is divided among the branches connected in parallel. Each branch will carry a fraction of the total current depending on its resistance or impedance relative to the other branches.
The basic principle behind a current divider circuit is Ohm's Law, which states that the current (I) flowing through a resistor (R) connected to a voltage source (V) is given by:
I = V / R
When you have multiple resistors in parallel, the voltage across each resistor is the same (as they are connected across the same voltage source), but the current flowing through each resistor can be different based on their individual resistance values.
The current in each branch (Ii) can be calculated using the following formula:
Ii = V / Ri
Where:
Ii is the current in the ith branch,
V is the voltage across the resistors (equal to the voltage of the voltage source),
Ri is the resistance of the ith branch.
The total current (Itotal) supplied by the source is the sum of the currents in all the branches:
Itotal = Σ Ii
By carefully selecting the resistance values of the branches, you can control the amount of current each branch receives. If the resistances of all branches are equal, the current will be evenly split among them. If the resistances are different, the current will be divided proportionally to their resistances.
It's important to note that the total current supplied by the source remains constant in a current divider circuit (as long as no other components are connected in the circuit). This property makes current dividers useful in various applications, such as in electronic circuits where different components require different currents, or in distributing power to different loads in a system.