A circuit is described as a series circuit if the components appear one after the other in the circuit. An example is shown below. To investigate the current in the circuit, we must place multiple ammeters in the circuit. If we an ammeter at each of these positions, we discover that the readings will be identical. In equation form, we can write this as The current in a series circuit is the same at all points. We can also investigate potential difference in a series circuit. A potential difference is the difference in electrical potential between two points, so in a series circuit, the potential difference across each of the components must add up to the total potential difference across the supply. If we call the supply p.d. Vs we write this as The p.d. across each of the components in a series circuit adds up to the supply p.d. Parallel Circuits A circuit is described as a parallel circuit if the components are laid out next to each other, with common connections. An example is shown below. To investigate the current in the circuit, we must place multiple ammeters in the circuit.
A circuit is described as a series circuit if the components appear one after the other in the circuit. An example is shown below. To investigate the current in the circuit, we must place multiple ammeters in the circuit. If we an ammeter at each of these positions, we discover that the readings will be identical. In equation form, we can write this as The current in a series circuit is the same at all points. We can also investigate potential difference in a series circuit. A potential difference is the difference in electrical potential between two points, so in a series circuit, the potential difference across each of the components must add up to the total potential difference across the supply. If we call the supply p.d. Vs we write this as The p.d. across each of the components in a series circuit adds up to the supply p.d. Parallel Circuits A circuit is described as a parallel circuit if the components are laid out next to each other, with common connections. An example is shown below. To investigate the current in the circuit, we must place multiple ammeters in the circuit.
EE1-ElectricityLOCKERBIE.docx