The current divider rule determines the fraction of total current flowing through one branch of a parallel circuit. The current through a specific branch is inversely proportional to its resistance compared to the total equivalent resistance. It is a fundamental principle used to size resistors and predict current flow without solving the entire circuit using nodal analysis.
Use the CDR to figure out how much of the 5 amps is actually going through the shunt resistor.
Also heard as
- current divider rule
- current division rule
Related terms
Current divider
A parallel circuit configuration that splits total current among multiple branches based on their impedance.
Voltage divider
A simple passive circuit that scales down an input voltage to a lower, predictable output level.
Nodal analysis
A systematic method for determining the voltage at every node in an electrical circuit.