Can't resist this

Find the equivalent resistance between A A and B B .


Sorry for the bad diagram.
Not possible 3.5 2 8 4

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

2 solutions

We note that the circuit can be simplified as the left circuit in the figure below.

Due to symmetry, we note that the potentials of C C , D D , E E and F F with respect to A A and B B are the same. Therefore, there is no current flowing through the eight resistors between the four points. The eight resistors are equivalent to open circuits, therefore the right circuit in the figure is the final equivalent circuit. Then the equivalent resistance is:

R A B = ( 4 + 4 ) ( 4 + 4 ) ( 4 + 4 ) ( 4 + 4 ) = 8 8 8 8 = 1 1 8 + 1 8 + 1 8 + 1 8 = 1 1 2 = 2 \begin{aligned} R_{AB} & = (4+4)||(4+4)||(4+4)||(4+4) = 8||8||8||8 \\ & = \frac{1} {\frac{1}{8} + \frac{1}{8} + \frac{1}{8} + \frac{1}{8}} = \frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}} = \boxed{2} \end{aligned}

Moderator note:

A triumph of mental topology and physical intuition.

May I ask you how did you obtain the 2D circuit from the 3D one? Thanks in advance.

Oussama Boussif - 5 years, 5 months ago

Log in to reply

You can trace it out. Say, we start from point A, it is connected to four resistors. Just lay them flat. Then every pair of these four resistors are connect with a resistor. Just draw them. It is just a mirror image for B.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 5 years, 5 months ago

Hey! Hi five for a symmetric solution! Did the same way but without 2D diagram! R = 1 1 2 r × 4 = r 2 = 2 Ω R=\dfrac 1{\dfrac 1{2r}\times 4}=\dfrac r2=2\Omega

Kishore S. Shenoy - 5 years, 5 months ago

Log in to reply

Same way :-)

Chirayu Bhardwaj - 5 years, 4 months ago

same way :)

Mardokay Mosazghi - 4 years, 12 months ago
Sakshi Rathore
Feb 5, 2016

Diagram is really nice!

Thanks !! But this should not be stated in a solution. (This is one of my very first problems and I'll update the diagram soon.)

Akshat Sharda - 5 years, 4 months ago

Log in to reply

Ya! Sorry for posting it here.... This is an old problem but i've seen it thése days only! I love solving problems whether old or new...

sakshi rathore - 5 years, 4 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...