Circuits and Power

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Series Circuit

  • There is the same current through each component.
  • The total potential difference of the power supply is shared between the components.
  • The total resistance of two components is the sum of the resistanccve of each component.
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Series Circuit

  • This is because the current has to travel through each component in turn.
  • Adding resistors in series increases the total resistance in ohms:
  • R (total) = R (1) + R (2)
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Parallel Circuits

  • The potential difference across each component is the same.
  • The total current drwan from the power supply is the sum of the currents through the seperate components.
  • Adding resistors in parallel reduces the total resistance.
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Parallel Circuits

  • The total resistance of two resistors is less than the resistance of the smallest individual resistor.
  • This is because, in parallel, there are more paths for the current to take - it can take one or the other allowing it to flow more easily.
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