Enter the current of the source and the resistance of the resistors into the calculator. The calculator will display the current through each resistor entered.
Current Divider Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the current going through an individual resistor of a series of resistors.
IR = IS * R / Rtotal
- Where IR is the current through the current resistor (amps)
- IS is the source current (amps)
- Rtotal is the total of all the resistors in the series (ohms)
- R is the resistance of the individual resistor (ohms)
Current Divider Definition
A current divider is a circuit that contains a combination of resistors in parallel that effectively splits the current moving through each resistor.
Current Divider Example
How to calculate a current divider
- First, measure the source current
Measure the source current value in Ohms.
- Next, measure the resistance of the individual component
This will be the resistance of the component only, which could be anything from a resistor to a capacitor.
- Determine the total resistance
Add of the total resistance of all of the components in the series
- Calculate the the current
Calculate the current in the individual resistor using the information from steps 1-3 and the equation presented above.
FAQ
A resistor is an electrical component that presents a resistance to the flow of current. It’s typically used to split currents and voltages between pathways.
A current divider is typically a series of resistors set up in parallel that split the current of a source.
