Potential Dividers

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  • Created by: jenny
  • Created on: 22-12-15 10:54

Potential dividers

Why are potencial diverders used?

  • to get a fraction of a source voltage

How do they work?

They split a PD into the ration of resistnces

Vout= (R2/(R1+R2))Vin

eg if you had a 2ohm resister and a 5 ohm resister in serise; 2/7 volts would go to the 2 ohm resister and 5/7 to the 5ohm resister

You can add an LDR or thermister to create a heat or light sensor as the voltage across the fixed resistor will vary with the changing conditions 

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Potentiometers

  • variable lenght of wire used to change resistance and therefore voltage. 
  • can be used just like a potencial divider
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