What is the difference between series and parallel circuits in terms of voltage and current according to Ohm's Law?
1 Answer
Ohm's Law is a fundamental principle in electrical circuits that relates voltage, current, and resistance. It states that the current (I) flowing through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage (V) across the two points and inversely proportional to the resistance (R) of the conductor. Mathematically, Ohm's Law is expressed as:
V = I * R
Now, let's explore the difference between series and parallel circuits in terms of voltage and current:
Series Circuits:
In a series circuit, the components are connected end to end, forming a single pathway for the current to flow. In other words, the current passing through each component is the same because there's only one path for it to follow. The voltage across each component, however, can be different and depends on their individual resistances.
Current: The current is the same throughout all components in a series circuit.
Voltage: The total voltage across all components in a series circuit is the sum of the individual voltage drops across each component. This means that the total voltage (V_total) in a series circuit is equal to the sum of the voltage drops across each resistor:
V_total = V1 + V2 + V3 + ... + Vn
Parallel Circuits:
In a parallel circuit, the components are connected such that they share the same voltage across their terminals, but the current may vary for each branch. Each component provides a separate pathway for the current to flow. The total current flowing into the parallel circuit is divided among the branches according to their resistances.
Current: The total current (I_total) flowing into a parallel circuit is the sum of the currents in each branch:
I_total = I1 + I2 + I3 + ... + In
Voltage: The voltage across each component in a parallel circuit is the same and equal to the total voltage of the circuit. This is because all components are connected directly across the voltage source:
V1 = V2 = V3 = ... = Vn = V_total
In summary, in series circuits, the current is constant throughout the components, and the total voltage is the sum of the individual voltage drops. In parallel circuits, the voltage is constant across all components, and the total current is the sum of the currents in each branch.
V = I * R
Now, let's explore the difference between series and parallel circuits in terms of voltage and current:
Series Circuits:
In a series circuit, the components are connected end to end, forming a single pathway for the current to flow. In other words, the current passing through each component is the same because there's only one path for it to follow. The voltage across each component, however, can be different and depends on their individual resistances.
Current: The current is the same throughout all components in a series circuit.
Voltage: The total voltage across all components in a series circuit is the sum of the individual voltage drops across each component. This means that the total voltage (V_total) in a series circuit is equal to the sum of the voltage drops across each resistor:
V_total = V1 + V2 + V3 + ... + Vn
Parallel Circuits:
In a parallel circuit, the components are connected such that they share the same voltage across their terminals, but the current may vary for each branch. Each component provides a separate pathway for the current to flow. The total current flowing into the parallel circuit is divided among the branches according to their resistances.
Current: The total current (I_total) flowing into a parallel circuit is the sum of the currents in each branch:
I_total = I1 + I2 + I3 + ... + In
Voltage: The voltage across each component in a parallel circuit is the same and equal to the total voltage of the circuit. This is because all components are connected directly across the voltage source:
V1 = V2 = V3 = ... = Vn = V_total
In summary, in series circuits, the current is constant throughout the components, and the total voltage is the sum of the individual voltage drops. In parallel circuits, the voltage is constant across all components, and the total current is the sum of the currents in each branch.