Electrical Circuit Laboratory

Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi

E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

Experiment No.3

Series and Parallel circuits

1. Introduction

Components of an electrical circuit or electronic circuit can be connected in series,

parallel, or series-parallel. The two simplest of these are called series and parallel
and occur frequently. Components connected in series are connected along a single
conductive path, so the same current flows through all of the components but voltage
is dropped (lost) across each of the resistances. In a series circuit, the sum of the
voltages consumed by each individual resistance is equal to the source voltage.
Components connected in parallel are connected along multiple paths so that the
current can split up; the same voltage is applied to each component.

Series circuit parallel circuits

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 Electrical Circuit Laboratory
Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi
E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

2. Objectives
I. To connects two types of connection circuits (parallel & series) using the
kit board.
II. To measure the Voltages and current across the resistors using the
Multimeter device.
III. To analysis the result and performance of the circuits.

3. Experiment Description

Circuits consisting of just one Dc source current and one load (one or more
resistances) are very simple to analyze. In this experiment, have three different types
of resistors – R1, R2 and R3 – connect them end to end as shown in Figure (1), then
it would be referred as resistances in series. In case of series connection, the
equivalent resistance of the combination, is sum of these three electrical resistances.
Means, resistance between point A and D in the Figure (1) is equal to the sum of
three individual resistances. The current enters into the point A of the combination,
will also leave from point D as there is no other parallel path provided in the circuit.
This current is I. So, this current I will pass through the resistance R1, R2 and R3.
Applying Ohm’s law, it can be found that voltage drops across the resistances will
be V1 = IR1, V2 = IR2 and V3 = IR3. Now, if total voltage applied across the
combination of resistances in series, is V.

𝑣 = 𝐼𝑅1 + 𝐼𝑅2 + 𝐼𝑅3 (1)

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 Electrical Circuit Laboratory
Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi
E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

Figure.1: Series connection

Hence, sum of voltage drops across the individual resistance is nothing but the equal
to the applied voltage across the combination as in Figure (2).

Figure.2: Sum of Voltage Drops across the Resistors

Now, if we consider the total combination of resistances as a single resistor of electric resistance
value R, then according to Ohm’s law:

𝑣 = 𝐼𝑅 (2)

Now, comparing equation (1) and (2), we get

𝐼𝑅 = 𝐼𝑅1 + 𝐼𝑅2 + 𝐼𝑅3

𝐼𝑅 = (𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅3)

𝑅 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅3

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 Electrical Circuit Laboratory
Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi
E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

So, the above proof shows that equivalent resistance of a combination of resistances
in series is equal to the sum of individual resistance. If there were n number of
resistances instead of three resistances, the equivalent resistance will be:

𝑅 = 𝑅1 + 2 + 𝑅3 … … … … 𝑅𝑛

In case of parallel connection, we suppose have same three resistor R1, R2, and R3.
These resistors are connected in such a manner that the right and left side terminal
of each resistor is connected together, as shown in Figure (3).

Figure.3: Parallel connection

As this current will get three parallel paths through these three electrical resistances,
the current will be divided into three parts. Say currents I1, I2 and I3 pass through
resistor R1, R2 and R3 respectively. Where total source current.

𝐼 = 𝐼1 + 𝐼2 + 𝐼3

Now, as from the figure it is clear that, each of the resistances in parallel, is
connected across the same voltage source, the voltage drops across each resistor is
the same, and it is same as supply voltage V.

Hence, according to Ohm’s law,

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 Electrical Circuit Laboratory
Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi
E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅1 + 𝐼𝑅2 + 𝐼𝑅3

𝑉 𝑉 𝑉
𝐼1 = 𝐼2 + 𝐼3 +
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

Now, if we consider the equivalent resistance of the combination is R.

Then, 𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅 ⇒ 𝐼 = 𝑉/𝑅

Now putting the values of I, I1, I2 and I3 in equation (1) we get,

𝑉 𝑉 𝑉 𝑉
= + +
𝑅 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

1 1 1 1
= + +
𝑅 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

1 1 1 −1
𝑅=( + + )
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

The above expression represents equivalent resistance of resistors in parallel. If there

were n number of resistances connected in parallel, instead of three resistances, the
expression of equivalent resistance would be

1 1 1
𝑅=( + + … … …. )−1
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅𝑁

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 Electrical Circuit Laboratory
Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi
E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

4. Experiments
Exercise 1:
Connect the circuit as shown in Figure (4) With DC voltage = 12V and R1 = 1K Ω,
R2 = 10KΩ, R3 = 100Ω then measure the voltage value for each resistance and
fill in Table (1).

Figure 1: Series Circuit

Table 1: Voltage Values for the Series Connection

Voltage Values
VR1
VR2
VR3

Exercise 2:
Connect the circuit as shown in Figure (5) With DC voltage = 10V and R1 = 10K
Ω, R2=1KΩ, R3=47Ω then measure the current value for each resistance and fill in
Table (2).

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 Electrical Circuit Laboratory
Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi
E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

Figure 2: Parallel Circuit

Table 2: Current Values for the Parallel Connection

Current Values
IR1
IR2
IR3

Exercise 3:

Figure 3: The Electrical Circuit

Build the circuit shown above (Figure 6) using three arbitrary resistors (pick three
different values). Calculate 𝑅𝑏𝑐, the equivalent resistance between nodes b and c
from 𝑅1, 𝑅2 and 𝑅3. Then measure 𝑅𝑏𝑐 directly using the Ohmmeter and see if it
matches the calculated value. Repeat this for 𝑅𝑎𝑐. Fill in Table 3
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 Electrical Circuit Laboratory
Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi
E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq

Table 3: Resistance Values

Resistor Values
R1 = R2 = 𝑅3 =
Equivalent Resistance
Calculated Measured
(show your calculation)
𝑅𝑏c =

𝑅𝑎𝑐 =

1. Discussion:
1. for circuit below in Figure (7) calculate the following:
a. equivalent resistance of the circuit
b. voltage of each resistance in the branch
c. current of each resistance in the branch

2. What happen to values above if R1, R2 was removed from the circuit

3. For each of the following circuits in Figure, find the equivalent resistance
between nodes a and b.

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 Electrical Circuit Laboratory
Lecturer: Prof. Dr ade Hamadi
E-mail: ade.ghani@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq
TA: Saja Falah Jabbar gheni
E-mail: saja.falah@mustaqbal-college.edu.iq