Post on 10-May-2015
Circuits
Series vs. Parallel
Vocabulary
• Circuit• Energy Source• Load• Conductor
• Resistor• Switch• Series Circuit• Parallel Circuit
Circuits
• A circuit is a path through which electricity can flow.
• Charges flow in a circuit when there is a potential difference.
Circuits
• Most circuits have three parts: an energy source, one or more loads, and conductors (wires) that connect the two.
• Circuits may also have a switch that can be opened or closed to allow or stop the flow of current
• Energy flows only through a closed circuit.
Circuits
Circuits
• Energy Source– Used to push a charge through a circuit– Ex: batteries
• Loads– Devices in a circuit that operate using
electrical energy– Examples:
• light bulb• toaster• motors
Circuits
• Conductors– Material that allows electrical energy to flow
through it easily.– Ex: wires
• Wires carry electrical current from the energy source to the load that is apart of the circuit.
Circuits
• Resistors– Objects added to a circuit that restricts the
flow of electrical energy
• Switches– Devices that is used to control the flow of
current through a circuit.
Series Circuits
• Series circuits provide only one possible path for the flow of current.
• Loads are set up in series, or a line, that requires current to flow through one load before passing to through the next.
Series Circuit
Series Circuits
• Electricity in series has only one path to follow.– A break in any part of the circuit will stop the
flow of electricity through the entire circuit• Ex: a burned-out bulb or open switch
• All loads share the same energy source.– Current lowers as more loads are added.
• Ex: Adding more bulbs causes bulbs to be dimmer.
Parallel Circuits
• Parallel circuits offer more that one path for the flow of electricity.
• Each load in a parallel circuit has its own closed circuit pathway to the energy source.– A failure in one part of the circuit will not affect
another part of the circuit.• A bulb burns out in one path, but current can still
flow through the circuit by another path.
Parallel Circuits
• Each load connected to a parallel circuit uses the full voltage of the energy source.– Adding more parallel loads to the circuit does
not affect the current flowing through the other loads.
• Lights will not be dimmer as more lights are added.
Parallel Circuit