This is a model of a simple resistive voltage divider (attenuator), including the effect of load resistance. The model can also be used to determine the effect of load resistance on the linearity of a continuously variable slide-wire potentiometer (e.g. Helipot) by specifying the total resistance Rt and the fraction counter-clockwise rotation alpha, rather than R1 and R2
Variable Sheet ___________________________________________________________________________ St Input Name Output Unit Comment 9 Ein volts Input voltage (volts, mv, µv) 5000 R1 Ohms Resistor 1 (Ohms,KOhms,MOhms) 10000 R2 Ohms Resistor 2 (Ohms,KOhms,MOhms) 100000 RL Ohms Load resistance (Ohms,KOhms,MOhms) Eout 5.8064516 volts Output voltage (volts, mv, µv) IL .05806452 mA Current through RL (Amps, mA, µA) E1 3.1935484 volt Voltage across R1 (volts, mv, µv) I1 .63870968 mA Current through R1 (Amps, mA, µA) I2 .58064516 mA Current through R2 (Amps, mA, µA) R2eff 9090.9091 Ohms R2 & RL in parallel (Ohms,KOhms,MOhms) P1 2.0397503 mW Power dissipated in R1 (watts, mW) P2 3.371488 mW Power dissipated in R2 (watts, mW) PL .3371488 mW Power dissipated in RL (watts, mW) Rt 15000 Ohms Total end-to-end resistance of pot alpha .66666666 Fractional rotation of pot (unitless) Rule Sheet ___________________________________________________________________________ S Rule * R2eff=1/(1/RL+1/R2) "Rule for parallel resistors * E1+Eout=Ein "Kirchoff's Law for voltage * I1=I2+IL "Kirchoff's Law for current * E1=I1*R1 "Ohm's Law for R1 * Eout=I2*R2 "Ohm's Law for R2 * Eout=IL*RL "Ohm's Law for RL * Eout=Ein*R2eff/(R2eff+R1) "Voltage divider equation * Eout=I1*R2eff "Ohm's Law for R2eff * P1=I1*E1 "Joules Law for R1 * P2=I2*Eout "Joules Law for R2 * PL=IL*Eout "Joules Law for RL * Rt=R1+R2 "Total end-to-end resistance of pot * alpha=R2/Rt "Fractional rotation of pot