Series-Parallel

EST. 102

MR. Middleton

Earno Johnson

08-20-2009

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 A series-parallel circuit has some components in series and others in parallel. The power

source and control or protection devices are usually in series, the loads are usually in parallel.

The same current flows in a series portion, different currents in a parallel portion. The same

voltage is applied to parallel devices, different voltages to series devices. If the series portion is

broken, current stops flowing through the entire circuit. If a parallel branch is broken, current

continues flowing through the series branches.

Electric circuits are essentially paths through which electrical current moves. The two

basic types of electric circuits are the direct-current, or DC circuit, in which the current flows

only in one direction, and the alternating-current, or AC circuit, in which current alternates at a

given frequency (usually 60 Hz in North America and 50 Hz in Europe). Circuits consist of

localized circuit elements connected by conducting paths (e.g., wires). The three basic circuit

elements are resistors, capacitors, and inductors. An example of the simplest circuit possible is

provided by resistors connected across a voltage source either in series or in parallel. When

resistors are connected in series, all the current flowing through one resistor also flows through

each of the other resistors and the total resistance of the circuit is the sum of the individual

resistances of the resistors. A parallel circuit, however, is one that contains a junction. The

current flowing through the circuit divides, as more than one path is available. Each part of the

circuit will receive separate amounts of current. The higher the resistance of a given path in a

parallel circuit, the less current will flow through it. As a result, the voltage across each branch of

a parallel circuit is the same, but the current may not be the same.

This is especially useful in understanding basic circuits, which apply the same voltage

across each circuit element (e.g., a device or appliance) whose individual loads draw different

amount of current, depending on their power requirements.

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 The behavior of electrical circuits is described by Kirchhoff’s laws. The current law

states that the sum of the currents flowing into a junction is equal to the sum of the currents

flowing out. The voltage law states that the sum of the voltage in a closed circuit is equal to the

sum of the potential difference of the components. These laws can be illustrated by applying

them to a parallel circuit, such as a simple one consisting of two resistors, R and R. Since there

are two junctions in the circuit, the current is not the same everywhere in the circuit. According

to Kirchhoff’s current law, the current flowing into the junction is equal to the amount of current

leaving the junction. From Ohm's law, the potential differences across each resistor are equal to

R I and R I, respectively. Because the circuit is parallel, there are two possible paths, or two

circuits, for the current to flow through. Because there is only one resistor in each circuit, the

potential difference across it must be equal to the voltage. Kirchhoff’s voltage law applied to the

first circuit is then: E = R I and E = R I for the second one. For the overall circuit, this yields: E =

R I = R I.

The total resistance of a series circuit is equal to the sum of the resistance of each of the

circuit elements. This is not the case for a parallel circuit. In a parallel circuit, the total resistance

is equal to the potential difference across the parallel segment divided by the current going

through it: R = E/I.

In a series circuit each electrical circuit component is joined end-to-end in such a manner

that there is only one possible path of current flow.

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 An electric circuit is the path of electric current, composed of conductors and conducting

devices, including a source of electromotive force, such as a battery, that drives the current

around the circuit. There are two basic types of connections in electric circuits: parallel and

series. A series circuit is a circuit that contains components connected in series. Meaning, the

devices or elements of the circuit are connected in such a way that the entire current passes

through each device from the negative power source all the way back to the positive power

source.

A series circuit is one in which the current flows through the devices one after another.

The total resistance in the circuit is equal to the sum of the resistance of each individual device

(R = R + R + R +...) and current that flows through each device is the same as the total current in

the circuit. The voltage drop across the circuit must equal the total voltage supplied by the

electromotive force device .

In many circuits, fuses are used in series with other devices in the circuit for safety

purposes. A fuse has a small metallic strip through which the current passes. If the current is too

large, the strip melts and the circuit is opened. Another device, the circuit breaker, is also

employed to do the same job. In a circuit breaker the current passes through a bimetallic strip. If

the current is too high, the bimetallic strip bends and causes a switch to open the circuit. In this

state no current passes until the switch is set and the bimetallic strip has cooled. The circuit

breaker system is often employed since it can be reset and does not need to be replaced when the

current exceeds the recommended amperes.

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 Because there is only one path for the current to move along in a series circuit, each

component end is connected to another component end. Thus, if the positive terminal end of one

component is connected to the negative terminal end of another component, then there is no

connection to another component at that same terminal. In this way the charges must move in

sequence, from one component to the next. If one component in the circuit is broken, no charge

will move through the circuit because it only has one path to travel. In a string of lights

connected in series, when one bulb burns out the entire string goes dark because the circuit is

broken and there is no other path for the current to follow. Christmas tree lights are a good

example; when one light goes out the entire string stops working.

Thou, if series and parallel are connected in a circuit we won’t be able to apply a single

set of rules to every part of that circuit. We will have to identify which parts are series and which

parts are parallel. Then apply series and parallel rules as necessary to determine what is going on

in the circuit.

I will use the following example of a circuit it is neither simple series nor parallel. Rather

it contains elements of both. The current exits the negative voltage source then splits up to travel

through R1 and R2, rejoins, then splits to travel through R3 and R4, rejoins, again to return to the

positive side of the voltage source. There exists more than one path for current to travel (not

series), yet there are more than two sets of electrically common points in the circuit (not

parallel).

Because the circuit is a combination of both series and parallel, we cannot apply the rules

for voltage, current, and resistance "across the table" to begin analysis like we could when the

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circuits were one way or the other. For instance, if the above circuit were simple series, we could

just add up R1 through R4 to arrive at a total resistance, solve for total current, and then solve for

all voltage drops. Likewise, if the above circuit were simple parallel, we could just solve for

branch currents, add up branch currents to figure the total current, and then calculate total

resistance from total voltage and total current. However, this circuit's solution will be more

complex.

A table will still help us manage the different values for series-parallel combination

circuits, but we'll have to be careful how and where we apply the different rules for series and

parallel. Ohm's Law, of course, still works just the same for determining values within a vertical

column in the table.

If we are able to identify which parts of the circuit are series and which parts are parallel,

we can analyze it in stages, approaching each part one at a time, using the appropriate rules to

determine the relationships of voltage, current, and resistance.

Works Cited

Thomson Gale, Parallel Circuits from World of Physics. ©2005-2006 a part of the

Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.

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 Kuphaldt, Tony R. Lessons In Electric Circuits copyright (C) 2000-2009 under the terms

and conditions of the Design Science License.

Nahvi, Mahmood (Author) Edminister, Joseph (Author) The International Systems of

Units (SI) Schaum’s Outline of Electric Circuits.