Contents:

 Resistors in Parallel Connection

 Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)

Topic Objectives:

 To explain the meaning of parallel connection

 To show different ways resistors can be connected in
parallel
 To introduce the Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)
 To apply KCL in dealing with parallel connections of
circuit
RESISTORS IN PARALLEL
a
●
●a

E R1 R2 R3
R1 R2 R3 E

●
b ●
b
Resistor can be connected such that they branch out from a
single point (known as a node), and join up again somewhere
else in the circuit. This is known as a parallel connection.
DC PARALLEL CIRCUITS
“Two elements, branches, or circuits are in parallel if they
have two, and only two points in common.”
●

R1 R2
● ●

●
Parallel branch = current path
◦ If there is more than one current path (branch) between two
separate points (nodes) and if the voltage between those two
points also appears across each of those branches, then there
is a parallel circuit between those two points.
Circuit forms of parallel connection
A A A
+ ● + +
● ●

●
- - -
B
● B B
●

A
+ ●
● A
●
+

- -
B B
●
Assemble to form a parallel circuit
R2
A
+
R1
R3
-
B
R5
R4

Schematic Diagram for three parallel resistors

 VOLTAGE IN PARALLEL CIRCUITS

● ●

● ●

● ●

dc voltage source

http://images.google.com.ph/images?q=school+laboratory+dc+voltage+source
Circuit Analysis for Parallel Connection

IT I1 I2 I3 IN
+ + + +
VS +
_ R1 V1 R2 V2 R 3 V3 RN VN
- - - -

Vs = V1 = V2 = V3 = …. = VN Parallel characteristic for

voltage

IT = I1 + I2 + I3 + … + IN Using Ohm’s Law ( ex. Three resistor)

VS V1 V2 V3 1 1 1 1
RT = R1 + R2 + R3 = RT = R1 + R2 + R3
 Therefore, 1
RT = 1 General Equation
1 1 (for 3 or more resistors
R 1 + R2 + R3 in parallel)

Special case: (2 resistors in parallel)

1
R1 R2
RT = 1 1 = Product over Sum
R1 + R2
R1 + R2

Sample Exercises:
Ex.1 Determine the Equivalent Resistance of the circuit

RT 12Ω
R1 3Ω R2 6Ω R3 R4 R 6Ω
4Ω 5
 ● ●
Ex.2 IT I1 I2 Determine:
+ + a) RT
+ b) IT (current source)
R1 9Ω V1 R2
27V _ 18Ω V2 c) current through each
parallel branch
- - d) show that IT = I1+ I2

Ex.3
If a 12-V battery is applied across the circuit of example No.1,
Determine
a) IT
b) current through each parallel branch
c) show that IT = I1 + I2 + I3 + I4
d) Derive the power equation for parallel circuit
CURRENT DIVISION PRINCIPLE (CDP)
(For Parallel Circuit Application)
IT From Ohm’s Law:
●
I1 I2 I3 IN V
IT =
RT RT
R1 R2 R3
RN

●
since
V = I1R1 = I2R2 =…= IxRx
Therefore, any number of
Solving for the current current and
IxRx of any branch resistance
IT =
RT
Ix = (IT) RT
Rx General Equation
Special Case: Two Parallel Resistor
using product over sum
I2 RT = R1 R2
I1 R1 + R2
RT
R1 Solving for I1 using CDP Let:
R2
R Ix = I1
Ix = (IT) T
Rx Rx = R1
Therefore,
R1 R2
I1 = (IT) R1 + R2 I1 = (IT) R 2 I2 = (IT) R 1
R1+R2 R1+R2
R1
Ex.8 Determine I1 using Current Divider Principle
R1 1kΩ

I1
IT = 12mA R2 10kΩ 12mA

R3 22kΩ

Ex.9 Determine resistor R1 using KCL or CDP

R1

I = 27mA I1 = 21mA

R2

7Ω
KIRCHHOFF’S CURRENT LAW (KCL)
- “The algebraic sum of the currents entering a node or
junction is equal to zero.”
I1 = 4A I2 = 2A In equation form:
node, system,
Complex network ΣIin = ΣIout
I3 = 10A where: Iin = input currents
I4 = 8A
Iout = output currents

- “The sum of the currents entering a junction must equal

the sum of the currents leaving the same junction.”
I1 + I4 = I2 + I3
ΣIin = ΣIout
4 + 8 = 2 + 10
12A = 12A
Node = commonly used to refer ‘junction’ of two or more branches
Ex.4 Determine I3 and I4 using KCL
I1 = 2A I4
I3
● ●
a b
I2 = 3A
I5 = 1A

Ex.5 Determine I1, I3, I4 and I5 using KCL

b
●
I1
I3
R1 R3 I5
a c
● ●
I = 5A R2 R4 R5
I4
I2 = 4A
●d
Ex.6 I2=3A
Determine I3 and I5
I4=1A
●a
I1=4A ●b
I3
I5
Ex.7
2mA Determine :
IT I1 I2 I3 a) I1 and I3
b) Current source IT
R1 6Ω R2 3Ω R3 1Ω