Science & engineering
Two-branch current divider
Split a supplied total current between two ideal parallel resistors.
A clear answer. Here’s how.
For two ideal parallel resistors, I₁ = I_total × R₂/(R₁+R₂) and I₂ = I_total × R₁/(R₁+R₂). The common voltage follows from the parallel resistance. Signed current preserves the chosen direction; dissipation uses I²R. No source compliance or component rating is evaluated.
See a worked example
Worked example
A fixed demonstration, separate from the values you enter above.
- Total applied current (A)
- 0.1
- First branch resistance (Ω)
- 100
- Second branch resistance (Ω)
- 200
Example result
- First branch current
- 0.0666666666667 A
- Second branch current
- 0.0333333333333 A
- Common voltage
- 6.66666666667 V
- Equivalent resistance
- 66.6666666667 Ω
- First branch dissipation
- 0.444444444444 W
- Second branch dissipation
- 0.222222222222 W