Electricity: Potential Difference in Parallel Circuits (DONE)

Question 1

What does a potential difference (voltage) of one volt mean..?

Answer 1

A potential difference of one volt means that one joule of energy is transferred for each coulomb of charge moving through the circuit.

Question 2

Imagine a series circuit. In a series circuit how is potential difference split?

Answer 2

In a series circuit, potential difference is split between components.

Question 3

The potential difference across this cell is 6V. What does this tell us in terms of current, joules, coulombs?

Answer 3

A potential difference of 6V tells us that the current is transferring 6 joules of energy per coulomb of charge.

Question 4

As you can see potential difference in parallel circuits is not like potential difference in series circuits.

Answer 4

For components connected in parallel like this, the potential difference across each component is the same.

Question 5

Determine the potential difference across the top lamp and the cell. And state why its this.

Answer 5

As you can see the potential difference across the bottom lamp is 12V and in a parallel circuit all of the components connected IN parallel have the same potential difference.

So this means that the potential difference across the cell and top lamp is 12V.

Question 6

Calculate the potential difference across the bottom lamp and give a reason why its this:

Answer 6

So in this example we have two lamps in series and these two lamps are in parallel with one other lamp. Remember that** for components in parallel, the P.D across each component is the same so that means the total P.D for the bottom branch must be the same as the branch above.**

The bottom left hand lamp has a P.D of 2V. 9V -7V = 2V.

If we put a volt meter across both of the bottom lamps it would read as follows:

Question 7

Components in parallel have the same what?

Answer 7

Components in parallel have the same P.D.