3.7 Series Circuits Flashcards
In series circuits, how are components connected?
In series circuits, the different components are connected in line, end to end, between the +ve and -ve terminals of the power supply.
In parallel circuits, how are branches connected?
In parallel circuits, each branch is separately connected to the +ve and -ve terminals of the supply.
In what places are parallel circuits more suited? (2)
- Cars
- Household electrics
Why does connecting cells in parallel not increase the total p.d.?
As each charge will only get a ‘push’ from one of the cells. So two 1.5 V cells in parallel would supply 1.5 V in total.
Is the current the same everywhere on a series circuit?
Yes
What component do you use to calculate current?
Ammeter
What is the size of the current determined by?
The total p.d. of the power supply and the net resistance of the circuit
What is the ‘net/equivalent/effective resistance’ of a series circuit?
The sum of the individual resistances of each component
Why do we ignore the resistance of ammeters when finding out the net resistance?
The resistance is small
Are ammeters connected in series or parallel?
Series
Are voltmeters connected in series or parallel?
Parallel
Components with a greater resistance will always have a _________ share of the voltage.
higher
In a series circuit, the potential difference of the battery is:
Shared across all of the components
In a series circuit, the current is:
The same everywhere in the circuit
What equation shows Ohm’s law?
V=IR
