Experiment No.

2
Series Circuits and Parallel Circuits

Introduction
The basics of electronics means understanding circuits, how they work
and how to calculate things like the total resistance around different
types of circuits. Real-world circuits can get complicated, but you can
understand them with the basic knowledge you pick up from simpler,
idealized circuits. The two main types of circuits are series and parallel.
In a series circuit, all of the components (such as resistors) are arranged
in a line, with a single loop of wire making up the circuit. A parallel
circuit splits off into multiple paths with one or more components on
each. Calculating series circuits is easy, but it’s important to understand
the differences and how to work with both types.
Parallel circuits use branches that have different circuit elements, be
them resistors, inductors, capacitors or other electrical elements,
among them, while series circuits, by contrast, arrange all of their
elements in a single, closed loop. This means that current, the flow of
charge in a circuit, and voltage, the electromotive force that causes
current to flow, measurements between parallel and series circuits
differ as well.
Current is the electricity that has work to do, and when the electrons are
flowing around a circuit, that’s current at work, while the circuit it is a
closed, continuous path, then electricity will flow on it. Along this path,
electricity can do a ton of amazing things, like power your smartphone,
or send humans to space, and resistance is what electricity encounters
when it flows along physical material, whether that’s a copper wire or a
plain old’ resistor. Resistance restricts the flow of electric current.

Parallel circuit is the most common we use in our houses and buildings
because it ensures that it can behave independently of one another so
that, if one were to stop working, the others would continue working.
Lights that use many bulbs can use each bulb in parallel with one
another so each one can all light up independently of each other.
Wiring Diagram

Figure 2.1 Sample Simulation of Run 1

Figure 2.2 Sample Simulation of Run 2

Data and Computation
Exercises and Computation
Exercise 1: From the results of run 1 and table 2.1,
calculation for Pt , P1 , P2 , P3.
Formula:
P=I∗V
For trial 1
1.)3V
Pt =3 V∗2.6 316 mA =7. 8948 mW
P1=2.6316 mA∗2 .3421 V =6.1635 mW
P2=2.6316 mA∗2 . 4737 V =6.5098 mW
P3=2.6316 mA∗0 . 65789 V =1.7313 mW

For trial 2
2.)6V
Pt =6 V∗5.2 632 mA=31. 5792 mW
P1=5.2632 mA∗4.6942V =24.6539 mW
P2=5.2632 mA∗4 . 9474 V =26.0394 mW
P3=5.2632 mA∗1. 3158 V =6.9253 mW
 For trial 3
3.)10V
Pt =10 V∗8. 7719 mA=87.719 mW
P1=8.7719 mA∗7.8070 V =68.4822 mW
P2=8.7719 mA∗8.2456 V =72.3296 mW
P3=8.7719mA∗2.1930 V =19.2368 mW

For trial 4
4.)12V
Pt =12V ∗10.526 mA=127.092 mW
P1=10.526 mA∗9.3684 V =98.6118 mW
P2=10.526 mA∗0.8947 V =104.1516 mW
P3=10.526 mA∗2.6316 V =27.7002 mW
Exercises and Computation
Exercise 2: From the results of run 2 and table 2.2, calculation for AT .

Formula:

A T = A 4 + A 5 + A6

1.) R4 =20 mA

2.) R4 ∧R5=20 mA + 10 mA=30 mA

3.) R4 ∧R5∧R 6=20 mA +10 mA +14 .4 93 mA=4 4 . 493 mA

IV. Questions and Problems

1. Why is the equivalent resistance of a series circuit larger

than any of the individual resistance in the connection?

Equivalent resistance of a circuit connected in series is the sum of

individual resistors. therefore, when you compare, the equivalent
resistance is much greater than the individual resistors

2. Why is the equivalent resistance of a parallel circuit smaller

than any of the individual resistance in the connection?

This relationship results in a total resistance that is less than the smallest
of the individual resistances. When resistors are connected in
parallel, more current flows from the source than would flow for any of
them individually. Therefore, the total resistance is lower
.
3. Why is there a common current in a series circuit?

The amount of current in a series circuit is the same through any

component in the circuit. This is because there is only one path for
current flow in a series circuit.
 4. How will the voltage divide in a series circuit when the
resistance units have (a) equal resistances (b) unequal resistances?
a. Resistors in Series carry the same current, but the voltage drop
across them is not the same as their individual resistance values
will create different voltage drops across each resistor as
determined by Ohm's Law ( V = I*R ). Then series circuits are
voltage dividers.
b. In a series circuit with unequal resistances the highest
resistance has the highest voltage drop.
5. How will the current divide in a parallel circuit when the resistance
units have (a) equal resistances (b) unequal resistances?

a. When only two resistive branches are involved, the current in one
branch will be some fraction of the total current IT. If the two
parallel resistive branches are of equal value, the current will
divide equally.

b. The current outside the branches is the same as the sum of the
current in the individual branches. It is still the same amount of
current.
6. What will happen if a break occurs in a series circuit? How about
in a parallel circuit?

In a parallel circuit, if a lamp breaks or a component is disconnected

from one parallel wire, the components on different branches keep
working. And, unlike a series circuit, the lamps stay bright if you add
more lamps in parallel.
 7. Three loads X, Y and Z are all connected in parallel to a 125-volt
DC source. Load X has a resistance of 5 ohms while load Y takes
5 kW of power and load Z draws 60 amps of current. Calculate
the following
a) resistance of load Y and load Z, RY and RZ;
b) power taken by load X and load Z, PX and PZ;
c) current drawn by load X and load Y, IX and IY; and
d) total current, total power and total resistance, IT, PT and RT.
1) The calculation for the resistance of load X,
V2 125 2
RY = P=
P 5000
¿ 3.125 ohm
¿ 3.125 ohm

The resistance of load Z,

V 125
R z= =
I Z 60
¿ 2.083 ohm

2) Power was taken by load X and Z,

V 2 1252
PX= =
R 4
¿ 7.812 kW
PZ =I Z ×V
¿ 60 ×125
¿ 7.5 k W

3) Current drown by load X and Y,

V 125
I X= =
RX 5
¿ 25 A
PY 5000
IY= =
V 125
¿ 40 A
4) Total power, total current, and total resistance,
Total current 
I T =I X + I y + I Z
¿ 25+ 40++60
¿ 125 A

Total power
PT =V × I T
¿ 125 ×125
¿ 15.625 k W

Total resistance
V
RT =
IT
¿ 1 ohm
10 Ω
V. Data analysis and Interpretation

For table 2.1 it shows the 4 trials result in the experiment run 1.
Each trials have a specific value for voltage and by the use of voltmeter
we can measure the 3 resistor that are connected in a series ciruit. The
voltage supplies in trial 1 is 3V, trial 2 is 6V, trial 3 is 10V, and trial 4 is
12V. The gathered data for Run1 was being recorded as shown in the
table.

To receive the value of the total current it is measure by the

ammeter in each trial it contains different current, and for the formula
for the total power we have “I*V”, and it is the same for getting the rest
of power.
V. Data analysis and Interpretation

For table 2.2 it shows the trial results for the experiment Run 2. It
consists of 3 resistors and 3 ammeters which were connected in parallel.
It is all measured value because we used the ammeter in parallel circuit,
if you want to verified the measured value it has a formula for the total
current which is the AT = A 4 + A 5 + A6.
VI. Findings and Conclusion

A circuit is said to be connected in series when the same current

flows through all the components in the circuit while on the other hand a
parallel is the electric current has multiple paths to flow through. The
components that are a part of the parallel circuits will have a constant
voltage across all ends.

The difference between series and the parallel circuit is in a

parallel circuit, the voltage across each of the components is the same,
and the total current is the sum of the currents flowing through each
component. In a series circuit, every device must function for the circuit
to be complete. If one bulb burns out in a series circuit, the entire circuit
is broken. The parallel circuits are mostly used at our homes and office
buildings. They are used so that every appliance that you purchase
locally, matches with the correct voltage at every outlet of the house, in
parallel each light bulb has its own circuit, so all but one light could be
burned out, and the last one will still function. If two or more
components are connected in parallel, they have the same difference of
potential (voltage) across their ends, while on the series circuits if one of
the lights burns out the entire string is extinguished just like for example
of Christmas lights which is a series ciruit.
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Submitted by: Villamor, Lynndon T.

Subject and Section: NEE 2102 – 1E