A current divider circuit is an arrangement of resistors in an electrical circuit that splits an incoming current into multiple paths, allowing each path to carry a portion of the total current. This circuit is commonly used in electronics and electrical engineering to distribute current among different components or branches of a circuit.
The operation of a current divider circuit is based on Ohm's law (V = I * R), which states that the current (I) flowing through a resistor is directly proportional to the voltage (V) across it and inversely proportional to its resistance (R). In a simple current divider circuit, multiple resistors are connected in parallel across a voltage source.
Let's consider a basic current divider circuit with two parallel resistors, R₁ and R₂, connected across a voltage source V. The goal is to determine the current flowing through each resistor.
The total current entering the parallel combination is the sum of the currents through each resistor:
I_total = I₁ + I₂
According to Ohm's law, the currents through each resistor can be calculated using their respective resistances:
I₁ = V / R₁
I₂ = V / R₂
Substituting these equations back into the total current equation:
I_total = (V / R₁) + (V / R₂)
Now, we can simplify this equation to find the relationship between the currents:
I_total = V * (1/R₁ + 1/R₂)
This equation shows that the total current entering the parallel combination is determined by the reciprocal sum of the resistances. As a result, the current through each resistor depends on its resistance relative to the total resistance of the parallel combination.
If one resistor has a significantly lower resistance compared to the other, it will draw more current, while the resistor with the higher resistance will carry less current. This distribution is the key principle behind current divider circuits.
In summary, a current divider circuit allows you to split an incoming current into multiple paths using parallel-connected resistors. The current through each resistor is determined by its resistance relative to the total resistance of the parallel combination. This concept is widely used in designing circuits to ensure that different components receive the appropriate amount of current for their proper operation.