Series Circuit
Define a series Circuit
A complete circuit that has more than one electrical load where all of the current has only one path to flow through all of the loads
Define a Parallel Circuit
A complete circuit that has more than one path for the current
Define Ohm's Law
What is V = IxR
Define a Series-Parallel Circuit
A combination of series and parallel segments in one complex circuit.
What is Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
The voltage around any closed circuit is equal to the sum (total) of the voltage drops across the resistances.
How do you calculate resistance within a series circuit?
Add all the individual resistances
ex: Rtotal=R1+R2+R3...
What are the individual sections of the parallel circuit called?
Branches, Legs, Shunts
In a circuit where resistance stays the same and voltage increases, what happens to current?
Current increases
Affect does an open have on a parallel circuit?
A break or open in one leg or section of a parallel circuit does not stop the current flow through the remaining legs of the parallel circuit.
what is the relationship between voltage drop and resistance?
They are proportional
When resistance increases the voltage dropped also increases
The current stays the same
How do you calculate the resistance in a parallel circuit?
The total resistance of a parallel circuit is always less than that of the smallest resistance/leg.
1/Rtotal= 1/R1+1/R2+1/R3...
What is the total resistance of a series circuit with 3 resistances, 2ohms, 4ohms, and 6ohms?
12ohms
Rtotal= R1+R2+R3.....
What happens to voltage in each leg of a parallel circuit?
Each leg has source voltage
What is Kirchhoff’s Current Law
The current flowing into any junction of an electrical circuit is equal to the current flowing out of that junction.
What happens to voltage as it passes through multiple loads in a series circuit?
The voltage drops across each load.
Each leg has source voltage
What is the total resistance of a Parallel circuit with 3 resistances, 2ohms, 4ohms, and 6ohms?
1.09ohms
The total resistance of a parallel circuit is always less than that of the smallest resistance/leg.
1/Rtotal= 1/R1+1/R2+1/R3...
What is the first step when working with parallel circuits
combine or simplify as much as possible
What is Kirchhoff's first name
Gustav Robert Kirchhoff
If there is an open in the circuit, will there be any current flow?
No, there must be a complete circuit for there the be any current flow
In a parallel circuit, does each leg have the same amount of current flowing?
No,
The sum of current from each individual leg will equal the total current in the circuit
If a series circuit has 10amps of current and 1.2ohms of resistance, what is the battery voltage
12 volts
Give an example of series-parallel circuit
Tail light circuit with unwanted resistance
Why are Kirchhoff's laws important