Posts tagged VIRP Table Another basic circuit type is the
parallel circuit, in which there is more than one current path.
To analyze resistors in a series circuit, we found an equivalent
resistance. We’ll follow the same strategy in analyzing
resistors in parallel. Resistors in Parallel Let’s look at a
circuit made of the same components we used in our exploration
of series circuits, but now we’ll connect our components so as
to provide multiple current paths, creating a parallel circuit.
Notice that in this circuit, electricity can follow one of three
different paths through each of the resistors. In many ways,
this is similar to a river branching into three different
smaller rivers. Each resistor, then, causes a potential drop
(analogous to a waterfall), then the three rivers recombine
before heading back to the battery, which we can think of like a
pump, raising the river to a higher potential before sending it
back on its looping path. We can find the equivalent resistance
of resistors in parallel using t