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Parallel Circuits

In a parallel circuit, each branch receives the same voltage but currents may vary. The total current is found by adding the currents in each branch. Key rules for parallel circuits include: - Total resistance is less than the smallest resistance of an individual branch - Adding more parallel branches decreases total resistance - For equal resistors, total resistance equals the resistance of one branch divided by the number of branches

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Joel Gecaine
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107 views30 pages

Parallel Circuits

In a parallel circuit, each branch receives the same voltage but currents may vary. The total current is found by adding the currents in each branch. Key rules for parallel circuits include: - Total resistance is less than the smallest resistance of an individual branch - Adding more parallel branches decreases total resistance - For equal resistors, total resistance equals the resistance of one branch divided by the number of branches

Uploaded by

Joel Gecaine
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PARALLEL CIRCUITS

OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit, the student should be able
to
• describe the characteristics of parallel circuits.
• demonstrate a procedure for solving parallel
circuit problems.
VOLTAGE
The circuit shown in Figure 4-1 is an example
of a simple parallel circuit.
Note that each resistor is placed directly across
the main source of voltage.
This causes each resistor to operate at the same
voltage as the source.
An electrical component should never be placed
in a parallel circuit if it has a voltage rating less
than the source voltage.
Figure 4-1 Unequal resistors connected
in parallel.
CURRENT
The components in a parallel circuit operate
independently of one another. Each component
takes current in accordance with its resistance.
The number of separate paths for current is equal
to the number of components in parallel. The total
current in a parallel circuit is equal to the sum of
the currents in the separate components. The
equation that expresses this statement follows:
RESISTANCE
It is apparent from studying the previous equation
that adding more parallel branches to the
circuit will increase the total current.
Ohm’s law (RT= ET/IT) shows that the total
circuit resistance decreases as current increases
in parallel circuits.
Therefore, adding parallel branches results in a
decrease in total resistance.
RT will always be less than the smallest R in the
circuit when two or more resistors are present.
Equal Resistors
As seen in Figure 4-3, in a parallel circuit
that consists of devices with equal
resistance, the total circuit resistance is
numerically equal to the resistance value of
one device divided by the number of devices
connected in parallel.
Expressed as an equation, this statement
becomes
Figure 4-3 Equal resistors connected in parallel.
Unequal Resistance
In practice, parallel circuits with resistors that
have unequal values are more frequently used
than parallel circuits with resistors that have equal
values.
No simple rule applies in this case because each
resistor takes a different value of current for the
same applied voltage.
To find the total resistance of a parallel circuit, apply a
known source voltage to the circuit and determine the total
current. Ohm’s law is then used to find the total resistance.
The total circuit resistance also can be found by
using the following formula.
This formula may be applied to any parallel circuit
with any number of parallel branches. Known as
the “reciprocal” formula, it is expressed as
Example: Find the total resistance of the circuit in
Figure 4-1.
An alternate solution to this problem is as follows:
A simple method of solving circuits consisting
of only two resistors in parallel (with either equal
or unequal values) is called the “product over the
sum” method.
Example: A 3-ohm resistor and a 6-ohm resistor
are connected in parallel. Determine their
combined resistance.
Example: For the circuit in Figure 4-4, find the total
current and the current in R2.
Example: Find IT in the circuit shown in Figure 4-5.
SUMMARY
A parallel circuit has branches of resistance. The
voltage is the same across each branch, but the
current may not be the same in each branch.
The current is determined by the amount of
resistance in the branch. If the branch currents are
added together, the sum is the total current.
Rules for parallel circuits:
ACHIEVEMENT REVIEW
1. Four 12-ohm resistors are connected in parallel. Calculate the total circuit
resistance. _______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. Four resistors are connected in parallel. The resistance values are 4 ohms,
8 ohms, 12 ohms, and 16 ohms. Calculate the total circuit resistance.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. The resistors mentioned in problem 2 are connected in parallel across a 120-volt
DC supply.
a. Calculate the current through each resistor.
b. Find the total current.
c. Find the total circuit resistance.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. Determine the total resistance of a 10-ohm resistor and a
30-ohm resistor connected in parallel.
5. If the circuit in problem 4 is connected to a 150-volt
supply, find the current through each resistor.
6. Find the total voltage, ET, for the circuit shown in Figure
4-6.
7. Find the current through R3 in the circuit shown in Figure
4-7.
10. What is the total current in problem 9?
________________________________
11. The ammeters in the circuit in Figure 4-9 are indicating
4 amperes and 9 amperes as shown. Find the values of
R3and RT.
12. For problem 11, what is the total voltage, E?
_____________________________
13. Find IT for the circuit shown in Figure 4-10.
14. Using the circuit in Figure 4-10, what is the current
through the 10-ohm resistor?
15. In Figure 4-10, if the 10-ohm resistor is changed to 20-
ohms, and ET is changed to 120 volts, find IT.
16. In Figure 4-10, if there is a break in the 10-ohm resistor
causing an “open circuit” to occur in the 10-ohm branch,
what will be the total current, IT?

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