topic 2 - electricity: series and parallel circuits Flashcards
What is the formula that links Rtotal, R1 and R2 for components connected in series?
Rtotal = R1 +R2
What is the visual difference between series and parallel circuits?
The components in series circuits are all connected in a line whereas the components in parallel circuits are connected seperately.
In series circuits why does adding resistors increase the total resistance?
In series circuits the current is the same everywhere which means that when another resistor is added the total current is reduced, so the total resistance increases
In parallel circuits why does adding resistors decrease the current?
Added more resistors increases the current, therefore the total resistance decreases.
For components connected in series, what is true about the amount of current through ech component.
The current will be the same?
How is the total potential difference of the power supply distributed in series circuits?
It is shared between the components.
For components connected in series, how do you work out the total resistance of two components?
Add the resistance of each component together.
What is reduced in a series circuit when a resistor is added?
The total current.
In parallel circuits, what is each component individually connected to?
The positive and negative of the supply.
In parallel circuits, what is the same across all components?
The potential difference.
In parallel circuits, what is the total current of the whole circuit the sum of?
The currents through seperate conmponents.
If two identical components are connected in parallel, which 2 values will be the same in both components?
Current and potential difference.
Is the total resistance of 2 resistors in parallel circuits smaller or larger than the resistance of the smallest individual resistance.
Smaller (both resistors have the same potential difference across them, but adding another loop increases the total current as there is more than one direction for it to go in, and an increase in current means a decrease in resistance).
