CHAPTER 3

PARALLEL AND SERIES-PARALLEL

CIRCUITS

3.1 Parallel Elements

Two or more elements or branches are in parallel if they
have two terminals in common. The parallel elements or
branches have the same potential.
R1

1 2
R2

(a) (b)

R1 R2 R3 R4

(c)
Figure (3.1) Different parallel configurations

The equivalent resistance of n parallel resistors can be

calculated as follows:

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 1 1 1 1 1
    ......  (3.1)
RT R1 R2 R3 Rn

Or,

GT  G1  G2  G3  ......  Gn (3.2)

Where, GT: is the total conductance which is the converse of

total resistance
G1, G2 and G3 are the converse of R1, R2 and R3
respectively. For n equal resistance, the equivalent resistance
is:
R
RT 
n
Note that: the equivalent resistance is less than the
smallest resistance of parallel combination.
For two resistances, R1 and R2, in parallel, the equivalent
resistance is:
R1 R2
RT 
R1  R2

Example (3.1)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.2), find RT.

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 RT W W W W W

Figure (3.2)

Solution

The equivalent resistance can be calculated as follows:

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
         
RT R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 6 9 6 72 6
 RT  1.6 W

Alternative solution:
The equivalent resistance of the three equal 6 W resistors is:
6
R1  2W
3
The equivalent resistance of the resistors of 9 W and 72 W is:
9  72
R2  8W
81
The equivalent resistance can be calculated as follows:
R1 R2 28
RT    1 .6 W
R1  R2 10

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Example (3.2)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.3), find R2.

RT= 9 kW kW R2

Figure (3.3)

Solution

The resistance R2 can be calculated as follows:

1 1 1
  
RT R1 R2
1 1 1
  
R2 RT R1
1 R1 RT 9  12
R2     36 kW
(
1 1
 ) R1  RT (12  9)
RT R1

3.2 Parallel Networks

A circuit shown in Figure (3.4) illustrate a simple parallel
network consists from a battery connected in parallel with two
resistances.

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 Is I1 I2

E R1 R2
I1

Figure (3.4)

The equivalent resistance can be evaluated as follows:

R1 R2
RT 
R1  R2

While the supply current can be evaluated as follows:

E
Is 
RT

The two branches currents can be evaluated as follows:

E
I1 
R1

E
I2 
R2

For parallel circuits, the resistive branch current can be

evaluated using current divider rule:
RT
Ix  Is (3.3)
Rx

For example, the resistive branch current I1and I2 of Figure

(3.4) are:

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 R1 R2
R R  R2 R2
I1  I s T  I s 1  Is
R1 R1 R1  R2

RT R1
I2  I s  Is
R2 R1  R2

Note that:
1. For parallel network with different resistances, the current
flow through small resistance is greater than that flow
through large resistances.
2. For parallel network with equal resistances, the current flow
resistive branches are equal and equal to supply current
divided by number of resistive branches.

Example (3.3)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.5), find:

(a) R3; (b) E; (c) Is, (d) I2; (e) P2.

Is I1=4A I2
E W R1 W R3
R2

RTW
Figure (3.5)

Solution

(a) The resistance R3 can be calculated as follows:

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 1 1 1 1
   
RT R1 R2 R3
1 1 1 1
   
R3 RT R1 R2
 R3  10 W

(b) The supply voltage can be calculated as follows:

E  V1  I 1 R1  40 V

(c) The supply current can be calculated as follows:

E 40
IS    10 A
RT 4

(c) The branch current I2 can be calculated as follows:

E 40
I2   2 A
R2 20

(d) The power dissipated through R2 can be calculated as

follows:
E 2 40 2
P2    80 W
R2 20

3.3 Kirchhoff's Current Law

Kirchhoff's current law (KCL) states that the
algebraic sum of currents at any node in electric
circuit is zero or the sum of current entering to any
node in electric circuit is equal to the sum of current
leaving the node.

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The KCL can be expressed at any node as:

 I 0 (3.4)

Or,
 I enering   I leaving

Example (3.4)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.6), find:

(a) I1, I2 and I3; (b) applying KCL to evaluate the supply
current.

Is I1 I2 I3

100V W R1 W R2 W R3

Figure (3.6)

Solution

(a) The branch currents can be calculated as follows:

E 100
I1    10 A
R1 10

E 100
I2   5 A
R2 20

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 E 100
I3    3.333 A
R3 30

(b) Applying KCL for upper node to calculate supply current

as follows:
I s  I1  I 2  I 3  18.333 A

Example (3.5)

For the circuits shown in Figure (3.7), find Io.

10 mA

a b
Io Io

6 mA 5Io 5 mA 5Io

(a) (b)
Figure (3.7)

Solution

For circuit of Figure (3.7a), applying KCL at node a, yields

6  5I o  I o
 4I o  6
I o  1.5 mA

40
 a

Io

6 mA 5Io

For circuit of Figure (3.7b), applying KCL at node a, yields

5  I a  10
I a  5 mA

10 mA

b
a
Ia Io

5 mA 5Io

Applying KCL at node b, yields

I o  I a  5I o
4Io  I a
I o  1.25 mA

Example (3.5)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.8), find the magnitude and
direction of I3, I4, I6 and I7

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 b

I2=12 A I1=8 A

a d
I1=10 A I7

I4
I3 I6
c
Figure (3.8)

Solution

Applying KCL at node a, yields:

Entering 10 A and leaving 12 A
 I 3 must be entering and equal 2 A

Applying KCL at node b, yields:

Entering 12 A and leaving 8 A
 I 4 must be leaving and equal 4 A

Applying KCL at node c, yields:

Entering 4 A and leaving 2 A
 I 6 must be leaving and equal 2 A

Applying KCL at node d, yields:

Entering 8 A and 2 A
 I7
must be leaving and equal 10 A

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 Note that: the current entering to the circuit is equal
to that leaving it.

3.4 Voltage Sources in Parallel

The voltage sources with same voltage connected in
parallel to increase the circuit current and power ratings. If
practical voltage sources with different voltage rating
connected in parallel, a large current will flow from high
voltage rating source to low voltage rating source. When ideal
sources connected in parallel they must have the same rating
voltage, look at Figure (3.9).

R1 I R2
E1 E2
E1 E2

(b) E1 > E2
(a) E1=E2
Figure (3.9)

3.5 Open and Short Circuits

Open and short circuits can often cause more confusion and
difficulty in the analysis of a system than standard series or
parallel configuration. An open circuit is known as a two point
in the circuit is isolated and not connected by any element.

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 The open circuit can have a potential difference
across its terminal but the current flow through it is
zero.
A short circuit is a direct connection of zero ohms between
terminals of any element or combination of elements.

The short circuit can carry a current can evaluated by

the external circuit but potential difference across its
terminal is zero.
The short and open circuit can be illustrated in Figure
(3.10a) and (3.10b) respectively.

IR= 0 Ioc= 0
R1
E R Vsc= 0 Voc= E
Isc
E1

(b) Open circuit

(a) Short circuit
Figure (3.10)

Example (3.6)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.11), find the I, Vab and Vcd.

44
 30 V
a c
I
R1
Vab
Vcd
10 V

b R2 d

Figure (3.11)

Solution

I  0 A (Open circuit)

Vab  10 V

Applying KVL
Vcd  30  10  0
Vcd  20 V

Example (3.7)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.12), find the I, V and V1, if
R2 is short circuited.

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 V1

I 5W 4W

10 V R2 15 W
V

Figure (3.12)

Solution

The circuit of Figure (3.12) is redrawn after R2 is short

circuited in Figure (3.13).

V1

I 5W 4W

10 V R2 15 W
V

Figure (3.13)

The current I can be calculated as follows:

E 10
I  2A
R1 5

The open circuit voltage V can be calculated as follows:

V  VR2  0 V

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 The voltage drop V1 can be calculated as follows:
V1   IR1  10 V

Example (3.8)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.14), find the IT, I1, I2 and
V2.

W

I2

I1 W R2
E=20V V2
IT
W
Figure (3.14)

Solution

The circuit of Figure (3.14) is redrawn after R2 is short

circuited in Figure (3.15).
W

I2

I1 E=20V V2
IT

Figure (3.15)

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 20
I T  I1  5 A
4
V2  E  20 V

I2  0 A

3.6 Voltmeter Loading Effect

A voltmeter is an instrument that used to measure the
potential difference. It is connected in parallel with the element
required to measured its voltage drop so that the voltmeter
must be has very high internal resistance for reducing its
loading effect on the circuit.

Example (3.9)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.16), find: (a) The open
circuit voltage V; (b) What will a voltmeter reading with an
internal resistance of 20 kW is used to measured the open
circuit voltage; (c) Repeat part b if the voltmeter internal
resistance is 2 kW. (d) Repeat part b if an ideal voltmeter is
used.

I 1 kW

E=20 V
V

Figure (3.16)

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Solution

(a) The open circuit voltage is:

V  E  20 V

(b) The voltmeter reading is:

20
V  E  19.05 V
21
(c) The voltmeter reading is:
2
V  E  13.33 V
3
(d) An ideal voltmeter has infinity resistance so that its
reading is:
V  E  20 V

Example (3.10)

For the circuit shown in Figure (3.17): (a) Find the voltages
V1, V2 and Vab; (b) Calculate the source current.

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 V2
b
6W 2W
c Vab d
I

5W a 3W
E1=6 V E2=18 V
V1

Figure (3.17)

Solution

(a) The circuit of Figure (3.17) is redrawn as in Figure

(3.18).

I c

V1 5 W 6W V2
E1=12 V a Vab b
3W 2W
I1 I2
Figure (3.18)

5
V1  E   7 .5 V
53
6
V2  E   9V
62
Applying KVL for the closed loop (bdacb), yields:

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