Series and Parallel Circuits Explained
Open this deck in Kuraplan
Sign in to view all 12 slides, customise, present or download.
Slide preview
First 12 of 12 slides
Series and Parallel Circuits Explained
Year 10 Physics Understanding Current, Voltage, and Resistance
Circuit Basics Review
Current (I) measured in Amperes (A) Voltage/Potential Difference (V) measured in Volts Resistance (R) measured in Ohms (Ω) Ohm's Law: V = I × R
Ohm's Law: Examples and Calculations
V = I × R (Voltage = Current × Resistance) Example: 3V battery, 1.5Ω resistor → Current = 2A Higher resistance = lower current (like narrow pipe) Simple calculation: 9V ÷ 3Ω = 3A current
Think-Pair-Share
Look at Christmas lights in your home Why do some sets go out completely when one bulb breaks? Why do others stay lit even with broken bulbs?
Series Circuits: Resistance and Component Failure
Total resistance = sum of all resistances (R₁ + R₂ + R₃) Current stays the same through all components If one component breaks, entire circuit stops working Like Christmas lights - one bulb fails, all go out
Series Circuits
Components connected in a single loop Same current flows through all components Voltage is shared between components Total resistance = R₁ + R₂ + R₃... If one component breaks, the whole circuit stops
Parallel Circuits: Total Resistance & Component Failure
Multiple paths for current to flow Total resistance is LESS than smallest resistor If one component breaks, others keep working Current splits between different branches Voltage stays the same across all components
Series Circuit Calculation
Given: Three resistors in series R₁ = 10Ω, R₂ = 20Ω, R₃ = 30Ω Battery voltage = 12V Calculate: Total resistance and current
Real-World Applications and Safety
Christmas lights use series circuits - one broken bulb stops all Car headlights use parallel circuits - one can fail independently House wiring uses parallel circuits for safety and convenience Series circuits save power but risk total failure Always turn off power before working on circuits Water and electricity are extremely dangerous together
Parallel Circuits
Components connected in separate branches Same voltage across all branches Current divides between branches Total resistance is less than smallest resistor If one component breaks, others continue working
Series vs Parallel Comparison
{"left":"Single pathway for current\nCurrent same everywhere\nVoltage shared between components\nTotal resistance increases\nOne break stops everything","right":"Multiple pathways for current\nVoltage same across all branches\nCurrent divides at junctions\nTotal resistance decreases\nComponents work independently"}
Real-World Applications
Household wiring uses parallel circuits Car headlights work independently Computer components in parallel Some decorative lights use series Safety considerations in circuit design