Series and Parallel Circuits Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

What is the calculated total current in the circuit?

In the circuit, what is the measured current flowing through resistor R1?

Based on the calculations, what is the resistance of the total circuit?

What is the current flowing through resistor R2 as per the calculation?

In a series-parallel resistive circuit, what happens to the total resistance as more resistors are added in series?

When analyzing a series circuit, how do the individual resistances compare to the total resistance?

What is the purpose of using the current divider rule in circuits?

What happens to the total current if resistor R1 is changed to have a higher resistance value while keeping other parameters constant?

How does increasing the resistance in a parallel branch affect the current flowing through other parallel branches, assuming all other factors remain constant?

In a parallel circuit with different resistance values, where does most of the current flow?

Parallel Circuits

In a parallel circuit, each component is connected directly across the voltage source, creating multiple branches.
The voltage across each component is the same, but the currents through each branch may differ depending on the resistance of individual components.

Series-Parallel Circuits

Series-parallel circuits are formed when there is a combination of both parallel and series circuits.
Components are connected to obtain particular electrical characteristics using both series and parallel connections.

Current and Voltage Divider Rules

The current divider rule states that in a parallel circuit, the total current entering the junction is divided among the branches inversely proportional to their resistances.
Mathematically, for two parallel branches with resistances R1 and R2, the current I1 flowing through R1 and the current I2 flowing through R2 can be calculated using the formulas:
- I1 = R2 / (R1 + R2) × Itotal
- I2 = R1 / (R1 + R2) × Itotal
The voltage divider rule is used to determine the voltage across components in series.

Series Resistive Circuit Calculations

Total resistance (RT) can be calculated by adding individual resistances: RT = R1 + R2 + R3
Total current (IT) can be calculated using the formula: IT = Vtotal / RT
Voltage across each resistor can be calculated using the formulas:
- VR1 = (R1 / RT) × Vtotal
- VR2 = (R2 / RT) × Vtotal
- VR3 = (R3 / RT) × Vtotal
Power across each resistor can be calculated using the formula: P = I × V

Current Divider Rule Application

The current divider rule can be applied to calculate current through individual resistors in a parallel circuit.
The formulas for current calculation are:
- I1 = R2 × Itotal / (R1 + R2)
- I2 = R1 × Itotal / (R1 + R2)

Test your knowledge of series-parallel circuits which are formed when there is a combination of both parallel and series circuits. Components are connected in a series-parallel configuration, creating multiple branches with the same voltage across each component.