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If the load resistor's power dissipation
were substantial, we might call this a "power circuit" or
"power system" instead of regarding it as just a regular
circuit. The distinction between a "power circuit" and a
"regular circuit" may seem arbitrary, but the practical
concerns are definitely not.
One such concern is the size and cost of wiring necessary to
deliver power from the AC source to the load. Normally, we
do not give much thought to this type of concern if we're
merely analyzing a circuit for the sake of learning about
the laws of electricity. However, in the real world it can
be a major concern. If we give the source in the above
circuit a voltage value and also give power dissipation
values to the two load resistors, we can determine the
wiring needs for this particular circuit: |
