Current: Series Circuits Parallel Circuits

Series Circuits
The current is the same in every

resistor; this current is equal to that
in the battery.
The sum of the voltage drops

across the individual resistors is
equal to the voltage rating of the
battery.
The overall resistance of the
collection of resistors is equal to the
sum of the individual resistance
values,
Rtot = R1 + R2 + R3 + ...
Parallel Circuits
The voltage drop is the same
across each parallel branch.
The sum of the current in each
individual branch is equal to the
current outside the branches.
The equivalent or overall
resistance of the collection of
resistors is given by the equation
1/Req = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 ...
As mentioned in a previous section of Lesson 4, two or more electrical devices in a

circuit can be connected by series connections or by parallel connections. When all
the devices are connected using parallel connections, the circuit is referred to as
a parallel circuit. In a parallel circuit, each device is placed in its own
separate branch. The presence of branch lines means that there are multiple
pathways by which charge can traverse the external circuit. Each charge passing
through the loop of the external circuit will pass through a single resistor present in
a single branch. When arriving at the branching location or node, a charge makes a
choice as to which branch to travel through on its journey back to the low potential
terminal.
Current
The rate at which charge flows through a circuit is
known as the current. Charge does NOT pile up and
begin to accumulate at any given location such that the current at one
location is more than at other locations. Charge does NOT become used up
by resistors in such a manner that there is less current at one location
compared to another. In a parallel circuit, charge divides up into separate
branches such that there can be more current in one branch than there is in
another. Nonetheless, when taken as a whole, the total amount of current in
all the branches when added together is the same as the amount of current
at locations outside the branches. The rule that current is everywhere the
same still works, only with a twist. The current outside the branches is the
same as the sum of the current in the individual branches. It is still the same
amount of current, only split up into more than one pathway.
In equation form, this principle can be written as

Itotal = I1 + I2 + I3 + ...
where Itotal is the total amount of current outside the branches (and in the
battery) and I1, I2, and I3represent the current in the individual branches of the
circuit.
The rate at which charge flows into anode is equal to the sum of the flow
rates in the individual branches beyond the node. This is illustrated in the
examples shown below. In the examples a new circuit symbol is introduced the letter A enclosed within a circle. This is the symbol for an ammeter - a
device used to measure the current at a specific point. An ammeter is
capable of measuring the current while offering negligible resistance to the
flow of charge.
Diagram A displays two resistors in parallel with nodes at point A and point
B. Charge flows into point A at a rate of 6 amps and divides into two
pathways - one through resistor 1 and the other through resistor 2. The
current in the branch with resistor 1 is 2 amps and the current in the branch
with resistor 2 is 4 amps. After these two branches meet again at point B to
form a single line, the current again becomes 6 amps. Thus we see the
principle that the current outside the branches is equal to the sum of the
current in the individual branches holds true.
Itotal = I1 + I2
6 amps = 2 amps + 4 amps
The actual amount of current always varies inversely with the amount of
overall resistance. There is a clear relationship between the resistance of the
individual resistors and the overall resistance of the collection of resistors. To

explore this relationship, let's begin with the simplest case of two resistors
placed in parallel branches, each having the same resistance value of 4 .
Since the circuit offers two equalpathways for charge flow, only one-half the
charge will choose to pass through a given branch. While each individual
branch offers 4 of resistance to any charge that flows through it, only onehalf of all the charge flowing through the circuit will encounter the 4
resistance of that individual branch. Thus, as far as the battery that is
pumping the charge is concerned, the presence of two 4- resistors in
parallel would be equivalent to having one 2- resistor in the circuit. In the
same manner, the presence of two 6- resistors in parallel would be
equivalent to having one 3- resistor in the circuit. And the presence of two
12- resistors in parallel would be equivalent to having one 6- resistor in
the circuit.
Now let's consider another simple case of having three resistors in parallel,
each having the same resistance of 6 . With three equal pathways for
charge to flow through the external circuit, only one-third the charge will
choose to pass through a given branch. Each individual branch offers 6 of
resistance to the charge that passes through it. However, the fact that only
one-third of the charge passes through a particular branch means that the
overall resistance of the circuit is 2 . As far as the battery that is pumping
the charge is concerned, the presence of three 6- resistors in parallel would
be equivalent to having one 2- resistor in the circuit. In the same manner,
the presence of three 9- resistors in parallel would be equivalent to having
one 3- resistor in the circuit. And the presence of three 12- resistors in
parallel would be equivalent to having one 4- resistor in the circuit.
This is the concept of equivalent resistance. The equivalent resistance of a

circuit is the amount of resistance that a single resistor would need in order
to equal the overall effect of the collection of resistors that are present in the
circuit. For parallel circuits, the mathematical formula for computing the
equivalent resistance (Req) is
1 / Req = 1 / R1 + 1 / R2 + 1 / R3 + ...
where R1, R2, and R3 are the resistance values of the individual resistors that
are connected in parallel.
Resistors
A resistor limits the electrical current that flows through a circuit. Resistance is the restriction of
current.[1] In a resistor the energy of the electrons that pass through the resistor are changed to heat
and/or light.
Calculating resistance
Series Circuit: Rt=R1+R2+R3+R4...Rn
Parallel Circuit: 1/Rt=1/R1+1/R2+1/R3...1/Rn
Where R is the resistor's value [4]
Ohms Law
The formula for Ohms law, V=I*R, states that the voltage drop across a component is equal to the
product of the current flowing in the component multiplied by the resistance of the component. When
using Ohms law, you are able to switch the formula around if needed to find a different outcome:
I=V/R or R=V/I [5]

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Series Circuits

The current is the same in every

The sum of the voltage drops

As mentioned in a previous section of Lesson 4, two or more electrical devices in a

In equation form, this principle can be written as

individual resistors and the overall resistance of the collection of resistors. To

This is the concept of equivalent resistance. The equivalent resistance of a

Series Circuit: Rt=R1+R2+R3+R4...Rn

Parallel Circuit: 1/Rt=1/R1+1/R2+1/R3...1/Rn

Where R is the resistor's value [4]

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