Resistors in Series

The Characteristics of a series connection of resistor is that the current is constant, meaning that
the magnitude of current that passes through each resistor is equal all throughout the circuit.
The total resistance is equal to the algebraic sum of all resistances connected in series. The
terminal voltage is equal to the algebraic sum of all the voltage drops across each load.

R1

VT R2

R3
I

Characteristics:
1. I T =I 1=I 2=I 3=. . .=I n

2. RT =R1 + R2 + R3 +. . .+ Rn

3. V T =V 1 +V 2 +V 3 +. ..+V n

Resistors in Parallel
A typical circuit with resistors connected in parallel is given in the figure below. Resistors in a parallel
circuit are connected such that the top of each resistor is connected to the same point A, whereas the
bottom of each resistor are connected to the same point B.
The characteristics of a resistors in parallel is that the voltage is constant, meaning the terminal voltage
is equal to the potential difference of each resistor connected in parallel. The reciprocal of resistance is
called the conductance, thus, the total conductance is equal to the algebraic sum of the conductance in
parallel circuit. Similarly, the reciprocal of total resistance is equal to the algebraic sum of the reciprocal
of all resistances connected in parallel. The total current is equal to the algebraic sum of the branch
current in parallel circuit.
 VT R1 R2 R3

Characteristics:
1. V T =V 1=V 2=V 3=. ..=V n

2. I T =I 1 + I 2+ I 3 +. ..+ I n

1 1 1 1 1
3. = + + +. ..+
R T R1 R2 R3 Rn

Exercises
1. (a) Find the equivalent resistance of four 60-𝝮 resistors connected in series. (b) If a potential
difference of 12 V is applied across the combination, what is the current in each resistor?
2. (a) Find the equivalent resistance of four 60-Ω resistors connected in parallel. (b) If potential

3. A 100- and a 200-𝝮 resistor are connected in series with a 40-V power source.
difference of 12 V is applied across the combination, what is the current in each resistor?

(a) What is the voltage drop in each resistor? (b) How much power does
each one dissipate?
4. A 100- and a 200-𝝮 resistor are connected in parallel with a 40-V power source.
(a) What is the current in each resistor? (b) How much power does each one
dissipate?

equivalent resistance of 200 𝝮?

5. What resistance should be connected in parallel with a 1000-𝝮 resistor to produce an

6. A 5-𝝮 is connected in parallel with 15-𝝮 resistor. When a potential difference is applied to the
combination, which resistor will carry the greater current? What will be the ratio of the
currents?
7. A 25-, a 40-, and a 60-𝝮 resistors are connected in series in a circuit such that the voltage across
the 25-𝝮 is 18 V. Find (a) the total resistance, (b) the current in each resistor, and (c) the

8. Two batteries in parallel, each of emf of 10 V and internal resistance of 0.5 𝝮, are connected to
voltage across the other two resistors.

an external 20-𝝮 resistor. Find the current in the external resistor.

0.01 𝝮. What is the terminal voltage of the battery when it delivers 80 A to

9. A certain “12-V” storage battery actually has an emf of 13.2 V and an internal resistance of

the starter motor of a car engine?

10. Two 12-V batteries, one with internal resistance of 0.05 𝝮 and the other with internal
resistance of 0.15 𝝮, are connected in parallel with a load of 0.05 𝝮. Find the current in the
load.
 Resistors in Series-Parallel Circuit
Almost all electrical circuits contain a combination of series and parallel circuits. In analyzing
these circuits, the techniques of these series and parallel circuits are applied individually to
produce a much simpler overall circuit.

Exercises:

1. Compute: I T , R T , I 1 , I 2 , P 3

R1 = 5 𝝮

IT

R3 = 3 𝝮
r = 0.4 𝝮
VT = 30 V R2 = 7𝝮
I2 I1

2. Compute: Rbe ∨¿bcde , RT , I T , I 1 , I 2 ,V 2 , V 5 , PT , P2 , P 5

a R1 = 6.0 𝝮 b R4 = 7.0 𝝮 c

IT

R2 =6.0 𝝮 R5 = 1.0 𝝮
VT = 20 V +
-
I1 I2

R3 = 14.5 𝝮 R6= 10.0 𝝮

f e d

3. Compute: Rcde , Rce∨¿ cde, R R R 3 ce∨¿cde

, RT , I T , I 1, I 2, I 3, I 4. and P4

a b R3 = 15.0 𝝮 c R5 = 19 𝝮 d

IT I2
 R1 = 9.0 𝝮 R4 = 8.0 𝝮 R6 = 5.0 𝝮
+

r = 0.2 𝝮
VT = 17 V -
I1 I3 I4

R2 = 2.0 𝝮
g f e

4. Compute: I 1, R456 , I 2, I T , V 1, V T , RT , P3, P6 . and PT

R1 = 390 𝝮 R4 = 220 𝝮

IT I1
ET R5 = 220 𝝮
R2 =330 𝝮
+
- E5 =4 .4 V
I2

R3 = 390 𝝮 R6= 220 𝝮

5. Compute: RT , I T , I 1, I 2, V 2, V 4 , V 6 , P3, P6. and PT

a R1 = 180 𝝮 b R3 = 15.0 𝝮 c d

IT I2 I4

R4 = 5.6 𝝮
+

r = 0.2 𝝮
VT = 17 V - R2 = 15 k𝝮 R6 = 5.6 k𝝮
I1 I3

R3 = 270 𝝮
g f e
R6 = 1 k𝝮

6. Compute: I 1, R456 , I 2, I T , V 1, V T , RT , P3, P6. and PT

R1 = 12 k𝝮 R4 = 1 k𝝮

IT I2
VT + V2 = 15 V
- R2 =3 k𝝮 R5 = 6.8 k𝝮
 I1

R3 = 33 K𝝮 R6= 2.2 k𝝮