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