Series and parallel circuits (2.2) (R)

Question 1

What are the two ways of joining electrical components?

Answer 1

in series and in parallel

Some circuits include both series and parallel parts

Question 2

For circuits connect in series: describe the current, potential difference and resistance across the components

Answer 2

• there is the same current through each component
• the total potential difference of the power supply is shared between the components (the voltage across each of the resistances will add up to the voltage of the battery)
• The total resistance is the sum of the individual component resistances

Question 3

There are two components in a series circuit. The current across one is 7A, what is the total current?

Answer 3

7A

Question 4

There are two components in a series circuit. The voltage across one is 6V, the total voltage is 9V, what is the voltage of the other component?

Answer 4

3V

Question 5

There are two components in a series circuit. The resistance across one is 4Ω, the resistance across the other is also 4Ω, what is the total resistance?

Answer 5

8Ω

R_total = R₁ + R₂

Question 6

For circuits connect in parallel: describe the current, potential difference and resistance across the components

Answer 6

• the total current supplied is the sum of the currents through the separate components (split between the components on different loops) - shared
• potential difference is the same across each loop
• the total resistance of the circuit is reduced as the current can follow multiple paths + the total resistance of two resistors is less than the resistance of the smallest individual resistor

Question 7

What does a series circuit look like?

Answer 7

Question 8

What does a parallel circuit look like?

Answer 8

Question 9

What happens when you add more resistors to a parallel circuit? Why is this?

Answer 9

Every time you add another resistor in parallel, the total resistance of the circuit decreases, even if it is a big resistor.

This is because there are more routes for the current to go down so electrons can go faster