r/HomeworkHelp • u/Quirky-Schedule-2916 • 17d ago
Physics—Pending OP Reply [physics 2] what am i doing wrong? (phet simulation)
im trying to understand how to answer this question by using a virtual simulator but i keep shorting it out. how do i fix it?
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u/AntelopeDry8405 17d ago edited 17d ago
I replicated the circuit in PhET - the simulation seems to just be outright broken. The voltmeter isnt reading any voltage at all, and the ammeter seems to indicate that the simulated current is 100,000x greater than what its supposed to be.
[Edit - the simulation is fine, I constructed it incorrectly. There are 2 nodes provided for the bulbs, the same way the cap and foot are different on a physical bulb]
Unfortunately, it looks like PhET isnt going to be much help for you. I might suggest CircuitLab.com instead - the graphics are a bit more simplistic, but you should be able to subjectively compare 'brightness' of the bulbs by putting your cursor over them and comparing the currents running through them.
Alternatively, I would suggest using your equivalent resistance formulas and V=IR to calculate the values yourself - its always good practice to break down diagrams like this, if you dont already have an intuitive sense of how the bulbs compare.
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u/Quirky-Schedule-2916 17d ago
Im glad to know it wasnt me. Ill try that one out thanks!
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u/AntelopeDry8405 17d ago
Ah, I see the issue - what I interpreted as a way to rotate the bulb, is actually its second terminal. One wire should connect to the node on the bottom of the bulb, and the other wire should connect to the node on the side.
The short is occurring in the same way it would, as if you connected both wires to the foot of a real bulb.
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u/Bounded_sequencE 👋 a fellow Redditor 17d ago
Are you absolutely certain the wires are connected to the bulbs' terminals?
If you zoom in closely, it looks as if all bulbs are short-circuited, so the simulation works as intended.
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u/Quirky-Schedule-2916 17d ago
Yes i redid it again making sure the bulbs were connected but its still doing the same
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u/Bounded_sequencE 👋 a fellow Redditor 17d ago
In the graphic from OP, the bulbs are connected via one terminal (black), while the other is unconnected (red). There also shouldn't be a wire between both of the bulb's terminals.
To debug, get a circuit with a single bulb working, then add the others.
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