Combination of series and parallel circuit problems with solutions pdf

Figure 17.5.1 Electrical circuits can become immensely complicated. This circuit is a polynomial plotter, which allows users to plot polynomials and evaluate functions at various x values. Most circuits are not just a series or parallel circuit; most have resistors in parallel and in series. These circuits are called combination circuits. When solving
problems with such circuits, use this series of steps. For resistors connected in parallel, calculate the single equivalent resistance that can replace them. For resistors in series, calculate the single equivalent resistance that can replace them. By repeating steps 1 and 2, you can continually reduce the circuit until only a single equivalent resistor
remains. Then you can determine the total circuit current.
The voltage drops and currents though individual resistors can then be calculated. Example 17.5.1 In the combination circuit sketched below, find the equivalent resistance for the circuit, find the total current through the circuit, and find the current through each individual resistor. Figure 17.5.2 Solution We start by simplifying the parallel resistors
R2 and R3.
1/R23=(1/180 Ω)+(1/220 Ω)=199 Ω R23=99 Ω We then simplify R1 and R23 which are series resistors. RT=R1+R23=110 Ω+99 Ω=209 Ω We can then find the total current, IT=VT/RT=24 V/209 Ω=0.11 A. All the current must pass through R1, so I1=0.11 A. The voltage drop through R1 is (110 Ω)(0.11 A)=12.6 volts.
Therefore, the voltage drop through R2 and R3 is 11.4 volts. I2=V2/R2=11.4 V/180 Ω=0.063 A and I3=V3/R3=11.4 V/220 Ω=0.052 A Use the Marquee Lights simulation below to arrange many identical light bulbs in different configurations. Try to add several bulbs in series and observe the circuit diagram to see what happens to the current,
resistance, and brightness of the bulbs. Then, do the same with several bulbs in parallel and compare. Lastly, set the Configuration slider to Mixed and observe what happens in a combined series-parallel circuit: Summary Combined circuit problems should be solved in steps. Review Two 60.0 Ω resistors are connected in parallel and this parallel
arrangement is then connected in series with a 30.0 Ω resistor.

The combination is placed across a 120. V potential difference. Draw a diagram of the circuit.
What is the equivalent resistance of the parallel portion of the circuit? What is the equivalent resistance for the entire circuit? What is the total current in the circuit? What is the voltage drop across the 30.0 Ω resistor? What is the voltage drop across the parallel portion of the circuit? What is the current through each resistor? Three 15.0 Ω resistors
are connected in parallel and the combination is then connected in series with a 10.0 Ω resistor. The entire combination is then placed across a 45.0 V potential difference. Find the equivalent resistance for the entire circuit. Use this resource to answer the questions that follow.
In a circuit that contains both series and parallel parts, which parts of the circuit are simplified first? In the circuit drawn below, which resistors should be simplified first? Figure 17.5.3 Study Guide: Electrical Systems Study Guide Real World Application: Christmas Lights LICENSED UNDER Ken Dickson-Self With simple series circuits, all
components are connected end-to-end to form only one path for electrons to flow through the circuit: With simple parallel circuits, all components are connected between the same two sets of electrically common points, creating multiple paths for electrons to flow from one end of the battery to the other: With each of these two basic circuit
configurations, we have specific sets of rules describing voltage, current, and resistance relationships. Series Circuits: Voltage drops add to equal total voltage. All components share the same (equal) current.
Resistances add to equal total resistance. Parallel Circuits: All components share the same (equal) voltage. Branch currents add to equal total current. Resistances diminish to equal total resistance. However, if circuit components are series-connected in some parts and parallel in others, we won’t be able to apply a single set of rules to every part of
that circuit. Instead, we will have to identify which parts of that circuit are series and which parts are parallel, then selectively apply series and parallel rules as necessary to determine what is happening. Take the following circuit, for instance: This circuit is neither simple series nor simple parallel.
Rather, it contains elements of both.

The current exits the bottom of the battery, splits up to travel through R3 and R4, rejoins, then splits up again to travel through R1and R2, then rejoins again to return to the top of the battery. There exists more than one path for current to travel (not series), yet there are more than two sets of electrically common points in the circuit (not parallel).
Because the circuit is a combination of both series and parallel, we cannot apply the rules for voltage, current, and resistance “across the table” to begin analysis like we could when the circuits were one way or the other. For instance, if the above circuit were simple series, we could just add up R1 through R4 to arrive at a total resistance, solve for
total current, and then solve for all voltage drops. Likewise, if the above circuit were simple parallel, we could just solve for branch currents, add up branch currents to figure the total current, and then calculate total resistance from total voltage and total current. However, this circuit’s solution will be more complex. The table will still help us
manage the different values for series-parallel combination circuits, but we’ll have to be careful how and where we apply the different rules for series and parallel. Ohm’s Law, of course, still works just the same for determining values within a vertical column in the table. If we are able to identify which parts of the circuit are series and which parts
are parallel, we can analyze it in stages, approaching each part one at a time, using the appropriate rules to determine the relationships of voltage, current, and resistance. The rest of this chapter will be devoted to showing you techniques for doing this. Process of Series-Parallel Resistor Circuit Analysis The goal of series-parallel resistor
circuit analysis is to be able to determine all voltage drops, currents, and power dissipations in a circuit. The general strategy to accomplish this goal is as follows: Step 1: Assess which resistors in a circuit are connected together in simple series or simple parallel. Step 2: Re-draw the circuit, replacing each of those series or parallel resistor
combinations identified in step 1 with a single, equivalent-value resistor. If using a table to manage variables, make a new table column for each resistance equivalent. Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the entire circuit is reduced to one equivalent resistor. Step 4: Calculate total current from total voltage and total resistance (I=E/R). Step 5: Taking
total voltage and total current values, go back to last step in the circuit reduction process and insert those values where applicable. Step 6: From known resistances and total voltage / total current values from step 5, use Ohm’s Law to calculate unknown values (voltage or current) (E=IR or I=E/R). Step 7: Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all values for
voltage and current are known in the original circuit configuration. Essentially, you will proceed step-by-step from the simplified version of the circuit back into its original, complex form, plugging in values of voltage and current where appropriate until all values of voltage and current are known. Step 8: Calculate power dissipations from
known voltage, current, and/or resistance values. This may sound like an intimidating process, but its much easier understood through example than through description. In the example circuit above, R1 and R2 are connected in a simple parallel arrangement, as are R3 and R4. Having been identified, these sections need to be converted into
equivalent single resistors, and the circuit re-drawn: The double slash (//) symbols represent “parallel” to show that the equivalent resistor values were calculated using the 1/(1/R) formula. The 71.429 Ω resistor at the top of the circuit is the equivalent of R1 and R2 in parallel with each other. The 127.27 Ω resistor at the bottom is the equivalent of
R3 and R4 in parallel with each other. Our table can be expanded to include these resistor equivalents in their own columns: It should be apparent now that the circuit has been reduced to a simple series configuration with only two (equivalent) resistances. The final step in reduction is to add these two resistances to come up with a total circuit
resistance. When we add those two equivalent resistances, we get a resistance of 198.70 Ω. Now, we can re-draw the circuit as a single equivalent resistance and add the total resistance figure to the rightmost column of our table. Note that the “Total” column has been relabeled (R1//R2—R3//R4) to indicate how it relates electrically to the other
columns of figures. The “—” symbol is used here to represent “series,” just as the “//” symbol is used to represent “parallel.” Now, total circuit current can be determined by applying Ohm’s Law (I=E/R) to the “Total” column in the table: Back to our equivalent circuit drawing, our total current value of 120.78 milliamps is shown as the only current
here: Now we start to work backwards in our progression of circuit re-drawings to the original configuration. The next step is to go to the circuit where R1//R2and R3//R4 are in series: Since R1//R2 and R3//R4 are in series with each other, the current through those two sets of equivalent resistances must be the same. Furthermore, the current
through them must be the same as the total current, so we can fill in our table with the appropriate current values, simply copying the current figure from the Total column to the R1//R2 and R3//R4 columns: Now, knowing the current through the equivalent resistors R1//R2 and R3//R4, we can apply Ohm’s Law (E=IR) to the two right vertical
columns to find voltage drops across them: Because we know R1//R2 and R3//R4 are parallel resistor equivalents, and we know that voltage drops in parallel circuits are the same, we can transfer the respective voltage drops to the appropriate columns on the table for those individual resistors. In other words, we take another step backwards in our
drawing sequence to the original configuration, and complete the table accordingly: Finally, the original section of the table (columns R1 through R4) is complete with enough values to finish. Applying Ohm’s Law to the remaining vertical columns (I=E/R), we can determine the currents through R1, R2, R3, and R4individually: Placing Voltage and
Current Values into Diagrams Having found all voltage and current values for this circuit, we can show those values in the schematic diagram as such: As a final check of our work, we can see if the calculated current values add up as they should to the total. Since R1 and R2 are in parallel, their combined currents should add up to the total of 120.78
mA. Likewise, since R3 and R4 are in parallel, their combined currents should also add up to the total of 120.78 mA. You can check for yourself to verify that these figures do add up as expected. This chapter is an adaptation of Lessons in Electric Circuits by Tony R. Kuphaldt (on allaboutcircuits.com), and is used under a Design Science License.