What is a potential divider?
A potential divider is essentially a series circuit. The characteristics of a series circuit is such that voltage from the source (a battery for example) gets split across the resistors according to the value of the resistances.
An important consideration here is the value of the resistance. As a basic rule, the greater the resistance value, the greater is the voltage drop across that resistor.
Mathematically, for a potential divider circuit with two resistances connected in series (say R1 and R2) to a voltage source (say VS), the voltage drop across R1 (VR1) can be found:
VR1 = (R1/(R1+R2))*VS
And likewise the voltage across R2, VR2 can be found:
VR2 = (R2/(R1+R2))*VS
MK
Related Physics A Level answers
All answers ▸Electrons are accelerated through a potential difference of 300 V. What is their final de Broglie wavelength?
Why is 0°C ice more effective at cooling a drink than 0°C water of the same mass?
An object with weight w is suspended from two strings at angles θ1 and θ2 to the vertical and with tensions T1 and T2. How would you resolve the vertical and horizontal forces?
Explain, using appropriate laws of motion, why the air exerts a force on the engine in the forward direction.