Basic Electronics II

Series and Parallel Circuits

 Series Circuits
When components are connected in
successive order.
Only one path for electron flow.
Current is the same for all series
components.
Series Circuits
 Total R = sum of all series
resistances:
RT = R1+ R2+ R3 ...+ etc.
Where RT is the total resistance and R1,
R2, R3 are individual series resistances.
 I = E T / RT
RT is the sum of all resistances.
ET is the voltage applied across the total
resistance.
I is the current in all parts of the string.
 Series IR Voltage Drops
The IR voltage across each resistance is
known as an IR drop or a voltage drop.
It reduces the potential difference available
for the remaining resistance in a series
circuit.
V1, V2 etc are used for the voltage drops
across each resistor to distinguish them from
the applied voltage source ET. V1 = IT X R1,
V2 = IT X R2, etc
ET = V1 + V2 + .... + etc
 Voltage Divider
An arrangement of 2 resistors in series is
often called a voltage divider.
Each IR drop V = its proportional part of
the applied voltage or:
V = R / RT x ET
A potentiometer (volume control) is a
voltage divider where the point of division
is made variable.
Total Power in Series Circuits
The total power is the sum of the power
dissipated in each part of the circuit or:
PT = P1 + P2 + ...+ etc
Remember: 3 Power Formulas
P=ExI
P = I2 x R
P = E2 / R
 Effect of an open is a series
circuit
Because the current is the same in each
part of a series circuit -
An open results in no current for the entire
circuit.
 Parallel Circuits
Each parallel path is a branch with its own
individual current.
Parallel circuits have one common voltage
across all branches, however -
Individual branch currents can be different.
Parallel Circuits

R1=2R2=4
 Voltage is equal across
parallel branches
Since components are directly connected across
the voltage source, they must have the same
potential as the source.
Therefore, the voltage is the same across
components connected in parallel.
Components requiring the same voltage would
be connected in parallel.
 Each branch I = E / R
I1 = E / R 1
I2 = E / R2 and so on.
If individual resistances are the same,
then individual branch currents would also
be the same.
 Main-line IT = sum of branch
currents
IT = I1 + I2 + ...+ etc
 Resistances in parallel
Total resistance across the main line can
be found by Ohms Law: Divide the
common voltage by the total current.
RT = E / IT
RT is always less than the smallest
individual branch resistance
 Reciprocal resistance
formulae
1 / RT = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + ... etc
This formulae works for any number of
parallel resistances of any value
 If the values of R are the
same
If all resistors in parallel are the same
value, then use this shortcut:
The value of one resistor/total number of
resistors = Total resistance
 If the there are only 2
resistors of differing values
If there are only two resistors in parallel
and they are different in value, then use
this shortcut:
R1 x R2/R1 + R2 = Total resistance
 Finding an unknown R
In able to find what value Rx must be
added in parallel with a known R to get a
required Rt
R x RT/R - RT = Rx
 Power in parallel circuits

Total power equals the sum of the

individual power in each branch.
PT = P1 + P2 + ...+ etc
In both series and parallel circuits the sum
of the individual values of power
dissipated in the circuit = the total power
generated by the source.
 Parallel Current Dividers

Individual branch currents can be found

without knowing the applied voltage.
Currents divide inversely as the branch
resistances.
I1 =R2/R1 + R2 (IT)
I2 =R1/R1 + R2 (IT)
Effect of an open in a parallel
circuit
An open in the main line results in no
current in all branches
An open in a branch results in no current
for that individual branch - other branches
are not affected
 Effect of a short circuit in
parallel
A short circuit has practically zero
resistance
A short results in excessive current