CHAPTER 7: Electricity

7.4 ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE AND INTERNAL RESISTANCE

7.4 E.M.F

Electromotive force
Figure (a)

Figure (b)

Voltmeter reading,
e.m.f.

Voltmeter reading,
potential difference, V < e.m.f., E

E,r

R
Current flowing

No current flow

1. An electrical circuit is set up as shown in figure (a). A high resistance voltmeter is connected across a dry
cell which labeled 1.5 V.
a) Figure (a) is (an open circuit / a closed circuit)
b) There is (current flowing / no current flowing) in the circuit. The bulb (does not light up / lights up)
c) The voltmeter reading shows the (amount of current flow across the dry cell / potential difference across
the dry cell)
d) The voltmeter reading is (0 V / 1.5 V / Less than 1.5 V)
e) The potential difference across the cell in open circuit is (0 V / 1.5 V / Less than 1.5 V). Hence, the
electromotive force, e.m.f., E is (0 V / 1.5 V / Less than 1.5 V)
f)

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It means, (0 J / less than 1.5 J / 1.5 J / 3.0 J) of electrical energy is required to move 1 C charge across

the cell or around a complete circuit.

2. The switch is then closed as shown in figure (b).

CHAPTER 7: Electricity
a) Figure (b) is (an open circuit / a closed circuit)
b) There is (current flowing / no current flowing) in the circuit.
c) The bulb (does not light up / lights up)
d) The voltmeter reading is the (potential difference across the dry
cell / potential difference across the bulb / electromotive force).
e) The reading of the voltmeter when the switch is closed is (lower
than/ the same as / higher than) when the switch is open.
f) If the voltmeter reading in figure (b) is 1.3 V, it means, the
electrical energy dissipated by 1C of charge after passing through the bulb is (0.2 J / 1.3 J / 1.5 J)
f) The potential difference drops by (0.2 V/ 1.3 V / 1.5 V). It means, the potential difference lost across the
internal resistance, r of the dry cell is (0.2 V/ 1.3 V / 1.5 V).
g) State the relationship between e.m.f , E , potential difference across the bulb, VR and drop in potential
difference due to internal resistance, Vr.
Electromotive force, e.m.f., E = Potential Difference + Drop in Potential Difference
across resistor, R

= VR + Vr

due to internal resistance,r

where VR = IR and Vr = Ir

= IR + Ir

= I (R + r)

3.
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CHAPTER 7: Electricity

a)

Why is the potential difference across the resistor not the same as the e.m.f. of the
battery?
The potential drops as much as 0.4

b)

V across the internal resistance

Determine the value of the internal resistance.

Since

1.5 =
r

1.1 +

Ir

0.5 r

0.8

Therefore, the value of the internal resistance is

c)

0.8

Determine the value of the external resistor.

Since

1.1 =
R
=

IR

0.5 R
2.2

Therefore, the value of the external resistance is 2.2

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CHAPTER 7: Electricity
Activity :

To determine the values of the electromotive force (e.m.f.) and

the internal resistance, r of the cell
Voltmeter
V
Internal resistance

+
Ammeter

Dry cell

Switch

Rheostat

Interference
Analysis of
data

: Potential difference, V /V

Hypothesis

To investigate the relationshipbetween V and I

Draw a graph
Aimof V against I

To determine the values of the electromotive force (e.m.f.) and

Apparatus /

Dry cells holder, ammeter (0 1 A), voltmeter(0 5 V), rheostat (0 15 ),

the internal resistance, r of the cell

connecting
wires,
3.0
- switch, and 2 pieces of 1.5 V dry cell.

materials
Method

:
a) Set up the circuit as shown in the figure.

2.0

b) Turn on the switch, and adjust the rheostat to give a small reading of the

ammeter, I, 0.2 A.
c) Read
1.0 -and record the readings of ammeter and voltmeter respectively
d) Adjust the rheostat to produce four more sets of readings, I = 0.3 A, 0.4 A, 0.5

A and 0.6 A.
Tabulation of

1.

data

0.2

0.4

0.6

Current, I /A
0.8

Current, I/A

Volt, V/V

0.2

2.6

0.3

2.5

0.4

2.4

0.5

2.2

0.6

2.0

0.7

1.9

From

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CHAPTER 7: Electricity
the graph plotted, state the relationship between the potential difference, V across the cell and the current
flow, I?
The potential difference, V across the cell decreases as the current flow increases.
2. A cell has an internal resistance, r. This is the resistance against the movement of the charge due to the
electrolyte in the cell. With the help of the figure, explain the result obtained in this experiment.
When the current flowing through the circuit increases, the quantity of charge flowing per unit time
increased. Hence, more energy was lost in moving a larger amount of charge across the electrolyte.
Because of this, there was a bigger drop in potential difference measured by the voltmeter.
3. By using the equation E = V + Ir
(a) write down V in terms of E, I and r.
V = -rI + E
(b) explain how can you determine the values of E and r from the graph plotted in this experiment.
E = the vertical intercept of the V I graph
R = the gradient of the V I graph
(c) determine the values of E and r from the graph.
By extrapolating the graph until it cuts the vertical axis,
E = 2.9 V
r = - gradient
= 1.4
Exercise 7.4

1.

A voltmeter connected directly across a battery

gives a reading of 1.5 V. The voltmeter reading
drops to 1.35 V when a bulb is connected to the
battery and the ammeter reading is 0.3 A. Find the
internal resistance of the battery.
E = 1.5 V, V = 1.35 V, I = 0.3 A
Substitute in :

E = V + Ir
1.5 = 1.35 + 0.3(r)
r = 0.5

2. A circuit contains a cell of e.m.f 3.0 V and internal resistance, r. If the

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4.

Find the voltmeter reading and the

resistance, R of the resistor.

CHAPTER 7:EElectricity
= V + Ir

12 = V + 0.5 (1.2)
external resistence has a value of 10.0 and the potential difference
e.m.f.
V = 11.4 V
across it is 2.5 V, find the value of the current, I in the circuit and the
internal resistance, r.

V = IR

E = 3.0 V, R = 10 , V = 2.5 V

11.4 = 0.5 (R)

Calculate current : V = IR
, I = 0.25 A
R = 22.8
Calculate internal resistance : E = I(R + r), 3.0 = 0.25(10+r)
r = 2.0
5
3 A simple circuit consisting of a 2 V dry cell with an internal resistance of

/V

0.5. When the switch is closed, the ammeter reading is 0.4 A.

Calculate

(a) the voltmeter reading in open circuit

The voltmeter reading
2 = e.m.f. = 2 V
(b)the resistance, R
closed circuit

A
E cell
= of
I(Re.m.f.,
+ r) E and internal resistor, r

(c)
/Athe voltmeter reading in
V = IR

is
2 connected
= 0.4(R + to
0.5)a rheostat. The

= 0.4 (4.5)

R = 4.5 reading, I and the voltmeter

ammeter

= 1.8 V

reading, V are recorded for different

resistance, R of the rheostat. The graph
of V against I is as shown.
From the graph, determine
7
R/

A graph of R against 1/I shown in figure was

obtained from an experiment to determine the

the electromotive force, e.m.f., E
b) the
electromotive force, e.m.f., E and internal
internal resistor, r of the cell
resistance, r of a cell. From the graph,
E = V + Ir
r=determine
gradient
a) the internal resistance of the cell
1 (A-1)
Rearrange
: V =0.5
E - II r
= - (6 E = I(R + r)
2)
a) 1.3

- 0.2

Equivalent
2

: y = mx + c

E
I

Rearrange

:R=

- r,

Hence, r = -gradient = -(-0.2) = 0.2

Hence, from V I graph : E = c = intercept of V-axis
=2
b) the e.m.f. of theVcell
/V
=6V
e.m.f. = gradient = 3 V
1.5

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graph V againstPage
I shown
was obtained from an experiment.
0.2
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a) Sketch a circuit diagram for the experiment

1/A

CHAPTER 7: Electricity

Extra Note:

a cell is an electrical source which uses chemical reaction to produce an electrical energy (from
chemical energy into electrical energy)
the energy supplied by the battery will move electric charge,Q through the bulb
the energy supplied by a cell or battery is known as Electromotive Fore.(E.m.f)
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CHAPTER 7: Electricity
Defined : Total energy supplied by the cell and the battery from one terminal to another terminal
through external circuit *bulb and the internal circuit *electrolyte of the battery
Unit :_________________ or ___________________
Formula : E = V + V
1.
2.
3.
Internal Resistance, r will cause some of the electrical energy is lost and changed to heat energy.
As a result the cell become hot. Potential difference across the terminals of the cell to be less than e.m.f
most of the energy is used to move electrical energy across external resistor in the circuit

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