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Resistors in Parallel
Resistors are said to be connected together in parallel when both of their terminals are
respectively connected to each terminal of the other resistor or resistors

Unlike the previous series resistor circuit, in a parallel resistor network the circuit current can take
more than one path as there are multiple paths for the current. Then parallel circuits are classed as
current dividers.

Since there are multiple paths for the supply current to ow through, the current may not be the
same through all the branches in the parallel network. However, the voltage drop across all of the
resistors in a parallel resistive network IS the same. Then, Resistors in Parallel have a Common
Voltage across them and this is true for all parallel connected elements.

So we can de ne a parallel resistive circuit as one where the resistors are connected to the same
two points (or nodes) and is identi ed by the fact that it has more than one current path connected
to a common voltage source. Then in our parallel resistor example below the voltage across
resistor R1 equals the voltage across resistor R2 which equals the voltage across R3 and which
equals the supply voltage. Therefore, for a parallel resistor network this is given as:
In the following resistors in parallel circuit the resistors R1, R2 and R3 are all connected together in
parallel between the two points A and B as shown.

Parallel Resistor Circuit

In the previous series resistor network we saw that the total resistance, RT of the circuit was equal
to the sum of all the individual resistors added together. For resistors in parallel the equivalent
circuit resistance RT is calculated differently.

Here, the reciprocal ( 1/R ) value of the individual resistances are all added together instead of the
resistances themselves with the inverse of the algebraic sum giving the equivalent resistance as
shown.

Parallel Resistor Equation

Then the inverse of the equivalent resistance of two or more resistors connected in parallel is the
algebraic sum of the inverses of the individual resistances.

If the two resistances or impedances in parallel are equal and of the

same value, then the total or equivalent resistance, RT is equal to half
the value of one resistor. That is equal to R/2 and for three equal
resistors in parallel, R/3, etc.

Note that the equivalent resistance is always less than the smallest
resistor in the parallel network so the total resistance, RT will always
decrease as additional parallel resistors are added.
Parallel resistance gives us a value known as Conductance, symbol G with the units of conductance
being the Siemens, symbol S. Conductance is the reciprocal or the inverse of resistance, ( G = 1/R ).
To convert conductance back into a resistance value we need to take the reciprocal of the
conductance giving us then the total resistance, RT of the resistors in parallel.

We now know that resistors that are connected between the same two points are said to be in
parallel. But a parallel resistive circuit can take many forms other than the obvious one given above
and here are a few examples of how resistors can be connected together in parallel.

Various Parallel Resistor Networks

The ve resistive networks above may look different to each other, but they are all arranged as
Resistors in Parallel and as such the same conditions and equations apply.

Resistors in Parallel Example No1

Find the total resistance, RT of the following resistors connected in a parallel network.
The total resistance RT across the two terminals A and B is calculated as:

This method of reciprocal calculation can be used for calculating

any number of individual resistances connected together within a
single parallel network.

If however, there are only two individual resistors in parallel then

we can use a much simpler and quicker formula to nd the total or
equivalent resistance value, RT and help reduce the reciprocal
maths a little.

This much quicker product-over-sum method of calculating two resistor in parallel, either having
equal or unequal values is given as:

Resistors in Parallel Example No2

Consider the following circuit which has only two resistors in a parallel combination.
Using our formula above for two resistors connected together in parallel we can calculate the total
circuit resistance, RT as:

One important point to remember about resistors in parallel, is that the total circuit resistance
( RT ) of any two resistors connected together in parallel will always be LESS than the value of the
smallest resistor in that combination.

In our example above, the value of the combination was calculated as: RT = 15kΩ, where as the
value of the smallest resistor is 22kΩ, much higher. In other words, the equivalent resistance of a
parallel network will always be less than the smallest individual resistor in the combination.

Also, in the case of R1 being equal to the value of R2, that is R1 = R2, the total resistance of the
network will be exactly half the value of one of the resistors, R/2.

Likewise, if three or more resistors each with the same value are connected in parallel, then the
equivalent resistance will be equal to R/n where R is the value of the resistor and n is the number
of individual resistances in the combination.

For example, six 100Ω resistors are connected together in a parallel combination. The equivalent
resistance will therefore be: RT = R/n = 100/6 = 16.7Ω. But note that this ONLY works for
equivalent resistors. That is resistors all having the same value.

Currents in a Parallel Resistor Circuit

The total current, IT entering a parallel resistive circuit is the sum of all the individual currents
owing in all the parallel branches. But the amount of current owing through each parallel branch
may not necessarily be the same, as the resistive value of each branch determines the amount of
current owing within that branch.

For example, although the parallel combination has the same voltage across it, the resistances
could be different therefore the current owing through each resistor would de nitely be different
as determined by Ohms Law.

Consider the two resistors in parallel above. The current that ows through each of the resistors
( IR1 and IR2 ) connected together in parallel is not necessarily the same value as it depends upon
the resistive value of the resistor. However, we do know that the current that enters the circuit at
point A must also exit the circuit at point B.
Kirchhoff’s Current Laws states that: “the total current leaving a circuit is equal to that entering the
circuit – no current is lost“. Thus, the total current owing in the circuit is given as:

IT = IR1 + IR2
Then by using Ohm’s Law, the current owing through each resistor of Example No2 above can be
calculated as:

Current owing in R1 = VS ÷ R1 = 12V ÷ 22kΩ = 0.545mA or 545μA

Current owing in R2 = VS ÷ R2 = 12V ÷ 47kΩ = 0.255mA or 255μA

thus giving us a total current IT owing around the circuit as:

IT = 0.545mA + 0.255mA = 0.8mA or 800μA

and this can also be veri ed directly using Ohm’s Law as:

IT = VS ÷ RT = 12 ÷ 15kΩ = 0.8mA or 800μA (the same)

The equation given for calculating the total current owing in a parallel resistor circuit which is the
sum of all the individual currents added together is given as:

Itotal = I1 + I2 + I3 ….. + In

Then parallel resistor networks can also be thought of as “current dividers” because the supply
current splits or divides between the various parallel branches. So a parallel resistor circuit having
N resistive networks will have N-different current paths while maintaining a common voltage
across itself. Parallel resistors can also be interchanged with each other without changing the total
resistance or the total circuit current.

Resistors in Parallel Example No3

Calculate the individual branch currents and total current drawn from the power supply for the
following set of resistors connected together in a parallel combination.
As the supply voltage is common to all the resistors in a parallel circuit, we can use Ohms Law to
calculate the individual branch current as follows.

Then the total circuit current, IT owing into the parallel resistor combination will be:

This total circuit current value of 5 amperes can also be found and veri ed by nding the
equivalent circuit resistance, RT of the parallel branch and dividing it into the supply voltage, VS as
follows.

Equivalent circuit resistance:

Then the current owing in the circuit will be:

Resistors in Parallel Summary

So to summarise. When two or more resistors are connected so that both of their terminals are
respectively connected to each terminal of the other resistor or resistors, they are said to be
connected together in parallel. The voltage across each resistor within a parallel combination is
exactly the same but the currents owing through them are not the same as this is determined by
their resistance value and Ohms Law. Then parallel circuits are current dividers.

The equivalent or total resistance, RT of a parallel combination is found through reciprocal

addition and the total resistance value will always be less than the smallest individual resistor in
the combination. Parallel resistor networks can be interchanged within the same combination
without changing the total resistance or total circuit current. Resistors connected together in a
parallel circuit will continue to operate even though one resistor may be open-circuited.

Thus far we have seen resistor networks connected in either a series or a parallel combination. In
the next tutorial about Resistors, we will look at connecting resistors together in both a series and
parallel combination at the same time producing a mixed or combinational resistor circuit.