Electric fish generate current with biological cells called...

Electric fish generate current with biological cells called electroplaques, which are physiological emf devices. The electroplaques in the South American eel are arranged in 140 rows, each row stretching horizontally along the body and each containing 5000 electroplaques. Each electroplaque has an emf of $0.15 \mathrm{~V}$ and internal resistance of $0.25 \Omega$. If the water surrounding the fish has resistance of $800 \Omega$, how much current can the eel produce in water from near its head to near its tail?

Key Concepts

Series and Parallel Circuit Configurations

Series and parallel configurations are methods for combining multiple electrical components. In a series arrangement, the emf values add up while the resistances add linearly, whereas in a parallel arrangement, the voltage remains the same but the effective resistance is reduced. This concept allows for optimizing the output characteristics of a system by balancing the number of cells connected in series (to increase voltage) with rows connected in parallel (to decrease overall resistance).

Ohm's Law

Ohm's Law is a fundamental principle in electrical circuits that relates voltage, current, and resistance through the equation I = V / R. It is used to calculate the current flowing through a circuit when the total voltage (including contributions from emf sources) and the total resistance (including both internal and external resistances) are known. This law is essential for predicting how changes in circuit parameters affect the flow of electricity.

Electromotive Force (emf)

Electromotive force, or emf, is the voltage generated by a source such as a battery or biological cell. It represents the energy provided per unit charge to drive the current in a circuit. In the context of biological systems like electric fish, each cell or electroplaque produces a small emf, which can be combined to generate a higher overall voltage when arranged properly in a circuit.

Internal Resistance

Internal resistance is the inherent opposition to current flow within a power source itself. Every voltage generating cell, biological or otherwise, has an internal resistance that causes a voltage drop when current flows. This characteristic is crucial because high internal resistance limits the maximum current that can be delivered by the source, impacting the overall performance of the circuit.

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