Circuit Inputs
Calculated Branch Currents
Total Equivalent Resistance
How It Works: The Current Divider Rule
The Current Divider Rule (CDR) is a fundamental principle in electronics that describes how electric current is distributed among parallel branches in a circuit. The current divides in inverse proportion to the resistance of each branch—meaning the path of least resistance gets the most current.
Interactive Circuit Diagram
The General Formula
To find the current (Ix) flowing through a specific resistor (Rx), you can use the general current divider formula:
Ix = Itotal × (Req / Rx)
Where:
- Ix is the current in the branch with resistor Rx.
- Itotal is the total current entering the parallel combination.
- Req is the total equivalent resistance of all parallel resistors.
- Rx is the resistance of the branch you are calculating for.
Two-Resistor Shortcut
For the common case of just two parallel resistors (R1 and R2), the formula for the current in the first branch (I1) simplifies to:
I1 = Itotal × (R2 / (R1 + R2))
Visualize the Current Division
This chart provides a dynamic, real-time visualization of how the total current is distributed among the different resistor branches. Change the input values above to see how the chart reacts instantly.
