Series Circuits

• What is a common point of confusion in exams regarding circuits?

  The differences between series and parallel circuits
• How are components arranged in a series circuit?

  All components are connected one after the other
• What is the main characteristic of parallel circuits?

  They contain more than one loop
• How does the arrangement of components affect measurements in circuits?

  It changes how we measure current, voltage, and resistance
• What happens if one component in a series circuit is disconnected?

  The whole circuit stops working
• Why are very few things connected in series in practice?

  Because a break stops the entire circuit
• How is the potential difference of a battery shared in a series circuit?

  It is shared across all components
• What does the equation for total voltage in a series circuit represent?

  Total voltage equals the sum of individual voltages
• If a battery has a potential difference of 12 volts and two lamps are connected, what must their voltages add up to?

  12 volts
• If one lamp in a series circuit measures 8 volts, what is the voltage across the other lamp if the total is 12 volts?

  4 volts
• What happens if both lamps in a series circuit are identical?

  Each lamp gets half of the total voltage
• How is current measured in a circuit?

  Using an ammeter
• Where should an ammeter be placed in a series circuit?

  In series within the main loop
• How can we calculate current in a series circuit?

  By dividing total voltage by total resistance
• What does the green symbol in resistance equations represent?

  Sum of individual resistances
• If one lamp has a resistance of 4 ohms and another has 2 ohms, what is the total resistance?

  6 ohms
• How do we calculate the current if the total resistance is 6 ohms and the battery voltage is 12 volts?

  Current is 2 amps
• Why can we ignore the resistance of ammeters in calculations?

  They generally have tiny resistances
• How do we find the voltage across a single component in a circuit?

  Using current and resistance with Ohm's law
• If the current is 2 amps and a lamp has a resistance of 2 ohms, what is the voltage across it?

  4 volts
• How can we find the voltage across the other lamp if we know the total voltage?

  By subtracting the known voltage from total voltage
• What device is used to measure voltage across a component?

  Voltmeter
• How are voltmeters connected in a circuit?

  In parallel across the component
• What is a key point about components with greater resistance in a series circuit?

  They have a higher share of the voltage
• Why does a 4 ohm resistor have 8 volts while a 2 ohm resistor has 4 volts?

  More force is needed for higher resistance
• What are the key differences between series and parallel circuits?

  • Series circuits have a single loop.
  • Parallel circuits have multiple loops.
  • In series, if one component fails, the whole circuit stops.
  • In parallel, components can operate independently.
• What are the steps to calculate current, voltage, and resistance in a series circuit?

  1. Identify total voltage and resistance.
  2. Use Ohm's law: \( I = \frac{V}{R} \).
  3. Calculate voltage across components using \( V = IR \).
  4. Sum individual resistances for total resistance.