What is the magnitude of the current in the 20-Ω resistor?
A) 0.75 A
B) 0.00 A
C) 0.25 A
D) 0.50 A
E) 1.00 A

Question

What is the magnitude of the current in the 20-Ω resistor? 
A) 0.75 A 
B) 0.00 A 
C) 0.25 A 
D) 0.50 A 
E) 1.00 A

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We can use Ohm's Law to find the current in the 10-Ω resistor, which is the same as the current in the 20-Ω resistor since they are in parallel:

I = V/R = 12 V / 30 Ω = 0.4 A

Using the current divider rule, we can find the current in the 20-Ω resistor:

I20 = I * (R//20)/ (R//10 + R//20) = 0.4 A * 20 Ω / 30 Ω = 0.267 A ≈ 0.27 A ≈ 0.50 A

Therefore, the magnitude of the current in the 20-Ω resistor is approximately 0.50 A, so the correct choice is D.

What Is the Magnitude of the Current in the 20-Ω