Series and Parallel Circuits
Cards (4)
- Series Circuits
- Closed circuits
- Current only follows a single path
- current is same everywhere
- total resistance = R1+R2
- Parallel Circuits
- Branched circuit
- Current splits into multiple paths
- Total current into a junction = total current in each of the branches
- Potential difference is same across each branch
- Series
- Components are connected end to end
- All the current flows through all the components
- Can only switch them all off at oncePotential difference is shared across the whole circuit
- PD of power supply = sum of PD across each component
- Current is the same through all parts of the circuit
- Current at one point = current at any other point
- Total Resistance is the sum of the resistance in each component
- Resistance of two components is bigger than just one of them, because the charge has to push through both of them when flowing round the circuit
- Parallel
- Components are connected separately to the power supply
- Current flows through each one separately
- You can switch each component off individually
- Potential difference is the same across all branches
- PD of power supply = PD of each branchBecause charge can only pass through any one branch
- Current is shared between each of the branches
- Current through source = sum of current through each branch
- Total resistance is less than the branch with the smallest resistance
- Two resistors in parallel will have a smaller overall resistance than just one