Consider the following figure. (Assume R1 = 7.60 Ω, R2 = 5.90 Ω, and e m f = 16.0 V.)
An open circuit begins at point a with a wire extending horizontally leftwards until it reaches a 4.00 V battery with the positive terminal on the left. After the battery, the wire splits into two branches. One branch continues left to a resistor R1, turns downwards and continues to a battery with emf ℰ with the positive terminal on top, and then turns rightwards. The other branch goes downwards and contains a resistor R2. The two branches recombine and the wire extends rightwards until it reaches a 10.0 Ω resistor before ending at point b.
(a) Calculate the magnitude of the potential difference between points a and b in the figure above.
(b) Identify which point is at the higher potential.