Edexcel IGCSE Science Your notes

(Double Award): Physics

Components in Series & Parallel Circuits
Contents
Current in Series & Parallel
Voltage in Series & Parallel
Resistors in Series
IV Graphs
Electrical Components

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 Current in Series & Parallel
Your notes
Current in series circuits
There are two ways of joining electrical components:
in series
in parallel

Current in series
A series circuit is a circuit that has only one loop, or one path that the electrons can take
In a series circuit, the current has the same value at any point
This is because the electrons have only one path they can take
Therefore, the number of electrons passing a fixed point per unit time is the same at
all locations
This means that all components in a series circuit have the same current

The current is the same at each point in a series circuit

The amount of current flowing in a series circuit depends on:
the voltage of the power source
the number (and type) of components
Increasing the voltage of the power source drives more current around the circuit
So, decreasing the voltage of the power source reduces the current
Increasing the number of components in the circuit increases the total resistance
Hence less current flows through the circuit

Increasing the voltage and number of components in series

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 Your notes

Current will increase if the voltage of the power supply increases and decreases if the
number of components increases

Current in parallel circuits

A parallel circuit is a circuit that has two or more loops, or more than one path that
electrons can take
Parallel circuits contain junctions and branches
Junctions are points where two or more wires meet to form a new branch
Branches are the sections of wire between junctions

Current in parallel
In a parallel circuit, the current has different values at different points in the circuit
This is because the current splits at a junction
Therefore, the electrons have different paths they can take
The sum of the current in the individual branches is equal to the total current before (and
after) the branches

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 Your notes

Current splits at a junction into individual branches

Why is current conserved at a junction in a circuit?
At a junction, the current is always conserved
This means the amount of current flowing into the junction is equal to the amount of
current flowing out of it
This is because the charge is conserved
Current does not always split equally – often there will be more current in some branches
than in others
The current in each branch will only be identical if the resistance of the components
along each branch is identical
Current behaves in this way because it is the flow of electrons:
Electrons, or any charge, cannot be created or destroyed
This means the total number of electrons (and hence current) going around a circuit
must remain the same
When the electrons reach a junction, however, some of them will go one way and the
rest will go the other

Worked Example
In the circuit below, ammeter A0 shows a reading of 10 A, and ammeter A1 shows a
reading of 6 A.

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 Your notes

What is the reading on ammeter A2?

Answer:
Step 1: Recall what happens to the current at a junction
At a junction, the current splits, but is always conserved
This means that the total amount of current flowing into a junction is equal to the
total amount flowing out
Step 2: Consider the first junction in the circuit where the current splits
The diagram below shows the first junction in the circuit

Step 3: Calculate the missing amount of current

Since 10 A flows into the junction (the total current from the battery), 10 A must
flow out of the junction
The question says that 6 A flows through ammeter A1 so the remaining current
flowing through ammeter A2 must be:
10 A − 6 A = 4 A
Therefore, 4 A flows through ammeter A2

Examiner Tips and Tricks

The direction of current flow is super important when considering junctions in a circuit.
You should remember that current flows from the positive terminal to the negative
terminal of a cell / battery. This will help determine the direction current is flowing 'in'
to a junction and which way the current then flows 'out'.

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 Your notes

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 Voltage in Series & Parallel
Your notes
Voltage in series & parallel
Voltage in series
In a series circuit, the total voltage of a power supply is shared between the
components

Lamps connected in a series circuit share the potential difference from the battery
For two identical components (with equal resistance), the voltage across them will be:
the same
equal to half the total voltage of the power supply
For two non-identical components (with different values of resistance), the voltage will
be:
higher across the component with the higher resistance
lower across the component with lower resistance

Voltage in parallel
In a parallel circuit, the total voltage across each branch is the same as the voltage of the
power supply

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 Your notes

Lamps connected in a parallel circuit all have the same voltage across them

Advantages & disadvantages

Advantages and disadvantages of a series circuit
A series circuit consists of a string of two or more components connected in a loop

In a series circuit, only one switch is needed to control all of the lamps. This can be seen as
an advantage or as a disadvantage
Advantages of a series circuit
All of the components are controlled by a single switch
Fewer wires are required

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Disadvantages of a series circuit
The components cannot be controlled separately Your notes
If one component breaks, all other components stop working

Advantages and disadvantages of parallel circuits

A parallel circuit consists of two or more components attached across different
branches of the circuit

In a parallel circuit, the lamps are connected in parallel and can be switched on and off by
their own switches
Advantages of a parallel circuit
The components can be individually controlled using their own switches
If one component breaks, then the others will continue to function

Disadvantages of a parallel circuit

Many more wires are involved which can be more complicated to set up
All branches have the same voltage as the supply making it more difficult to control the
voltage across individual components

Examiner Tips and Tricks

You may have noticed that for a parallel circuit, all of the components can be
controlled by a single switch - like a series circuit. Nevertheless, the exam board still
considers this an advantage of series circuits.

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Note that the current does not always split equally in a parallel circuit – often there will
be more current in some branches than in others. The current in each branch will only
be identical if the resistance of the components along each branch are identical. Your notes
However, the voltage across two components connected in parallel is always the
same

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 Resistors in Series
Your notes
Resistors in series
When two or more resistors are connected in series, the total resistance is equal to the
sum of their individual resistances
For two resistors of resistance R1 and R2, the total resistance can be calculated using the
equation:

R = R1 + R2
Where:
R is the total resistance, in ohms (Ω)
Increasing the number of resistors increases the overall resistance
The charge now has more resistors to pass through
The total voltage is also the sum of the voltages across each of the individual resistors

Three resistors connected in series. The total voltage is the sum of the individual voltages,
and the total resistance is the sum of the three individual resistances

Summary of series and parallel circuits

For components connected in series:
the current is the same at all points and in each component
the voltage of the power supply is shared between the components
the total resistance is the sum of the resistances of each component

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For components connected in parallel:
the current from the supply splits in the branches Your notes
the voltage across each branch is the same
the total resistance is less than that of each component

Worked Example
The combined resistance R in the following series circuit is 60 Ω.
What is the resistance value of R2?

A 100 Ω B 30 Ω C 20 Ω D 40 Ω
ANSWER: C
Step 1: Write down the equation for the combined resistance in series

R = R1 + R2 + R3
Step 2: Substitute the values for total resistance R and the other resistors
60 Ω = 30 Ω + R2 + 10 Ω
Step 3: Rearrange for R2
R2 = 60 Ω – 30 Ω – 10 Ω = 20 Ω

Worked Example
Dennis sets up a series circuit as shown below.

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 Your notes

The cell supplies a current of 2 A to the circuit, and the fixed resistor has a resistance of
4 Ω.
(a) How much current flows through the fixed resistor?
(b) What is the reading on the voltmeter?
Answer:
Part (a)
Step 1: Recall that current is conserved in a series circuit
Since current is conserved in a series circuit, it is the same size if measured
anywhere in the series loop
This means that since the cell supplies 2 A to the circuit, the current is 2 A
everywhere
Therefore, 2 A flows through the fixed resistor
Part (b)
Step 1: List the known quantities
Current, I = 2 A
Resistance, R = 4 Ω
Step 2: State the equation linking potential difference, resistance and current
The equation linking potential difference, resistance and current is:
V =I×R
Step 3: Substitute the known values into the equation and calculate the potential
difference
V=2×4=8V
Therefore, the voltmeter reads 8 V across the fixed resistor

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 IV Graphs
Your notes
IV graphs
When the voltage V across a component is varied, the current I flowing through it may
vary linearly or non-linearly
The relationship between current and voltage of a component can be shown on an IV
graph
When the relationship between current and voltage is linear:
the IV graph is a straight line which passes through the origin
the resistance is constant
When the relationship between current and voltage is non-linear:
the IV graph that is not a straight line
the resistance is not constant

Linear and non-linear IV graphs

Linear IV graphs are straight lines through the origin, indicating a constant resistance.
Non-linear IV graphs are curved, indicating a variable resistance
Components with linear IV graphs include:
fixed resistors (at constant temperature)
wires (at constant temperature)
Components with non-linear IV graphs include:
filament lamps
diodes

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 LDRs
thermistors Your notes
IV graph for a wire or a resistor
The relationship between current and voltage for a wire or fixed resistor is linear, or
directly proportional, which means
the IV graph is a straight line, so voltage and current increase (or decrease) by the
same amount
the slope of the graph is constant, so resistance is constant

The current is directly proportional to the potential difference (voltage) as the graph is a
straight line through the origin

IV graph for a filament bulb

The relationship between current and voltage for a filament lamp is non-linear, or not
directly proportional, which means
the IV graph is not a straight line, so voltage and current do not increase (or
decrease) by the same amount
the slope of the graph is not constant, so resistance changes
The IV graph for a filament lamp shows as voltage increases
the current increases at a proportionally slower rate
the resistance increases; the flatter the slope, the higher the resistance

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 Your notes

IV graph for a filament lamp

As current through a filament lamp increases, the resistance increases because:
the higher current causes the temperature of the filament to increase
the higher temperature causes the atoms in the metal lattice of the filament to
vibrate more
this causes an increase in resistance as it becomes more difficult for free electrons
(the current) to pass through
since resistance opposes the current, this causes it to increase at a slower rate

IV graph for a diode

A diode allows current to flow in one direction only
This is called forward bias
In the reverse direction, the diode has very high resistance, and therefore no current
flows
This is called reverse bias
When the current is in the direction of the arrowhead symbol, this is forward bias
On the IV graph, this is shown by a sharp increase in voltage and current on the right
side of the graph
This shows the resistance is very low
When the diode is switched around, this is reverse bias
On the IV graph, this is shown by a zero reading of current or voltage on the left side
of the graph
This shows the resistance is very high

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 Your notes

IV graph for a semiconductor diode

Investigating the relationship between current and

voltage
In order to investigate the relationship between current and voltage of different
components, the following equipment is required:
an ammeter - to measure the current through the component
a voltmeter - to measure the voltage across the component
a variable resistor - to vary the current through the circuit
a power source - to provide a source of potential difference (voltage)
wires - to connect the components together in a circuit
The image below shows the circuits set up to obtain IV graphs for a filament lamp and a
diode

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These circuits enable the investigation of current and voltage for a filament lamp or diode
to be investigated
Your notes
The current is the independent variable
The variable resistor is used to change the current flowing through the filament
lamp / diode
The voltage is the dependent variable
The voltmeter is used to measure the voltage across the filament lamp / diode
Recording measurements of current and voltage as the current increases enables
an IV graph to be plotted for each component

Resistance
Resistance is the opposition to the flow of current
The higher the resistance of a circuit the lower the current
Resistors come in two types:
Fixed resistors
Variable resistors
Fixed resistors have a resistance that remains constant
Variable resistors can change the resistance by changing the length of wire that makes
up the circuit
A longer length of wire has more resistance than a shorter length of wire

Fixed and variable resistor circuit symbols

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 Electrical Components
Your notes
Thermistors & LDRs
Environmental conditions, such as temperature and light intensity, can influence the
resistance of resistors, such as
Thermistors
Light-dependent resistors (LDRs)

Thermistors
The resistance of a thermistor depends on its temperature
The resistance of a thermistor is high in cold conditions and low in hot conditions
As the temperature increases the resistance of a thermistor decreases
As the temperature decreases the resistance of a thermistor increases

The resistance of a thermistor depends on its temperature

The relationship between resistance and temperature for a thermistor can be shown on a
graph

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 Your notes

The graph of resistance against temperature for a thermistor shows a curve indicating
these quantities are inversely proportional to each other

Light-dependent resistors (LDRs)

The resistance of a light-dependent resistor (LDR) depends on the light intensity on it
The resistance of an LDR is high in dark conditions and low in bright conditions
As the light intensity increases the resistance of an LDR decreases
As the light intensity decreases the resistance of an LDR increases

The resistance of an LDR depends on the intensity of light on it

The relationship between resistance and light intensity for an LDR can be shown on a
graph

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 Your notes

The graph of light intensity against temperature for an LDR shows a curve indicating these
quantities are inversely proportional to each other

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Here is a list of all the circuit symbols you need to know for your exam:

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 Your notes

Lamps & LEDs

Lamps and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) illuminate (light up) when a current flows
through them
This makes them useful for indicating the presence of a current in a circuit

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

LEDs are a type of diode
This means they only allow current to flow through them in one direction
Therefore, in a circuit, an LED will only light up if it is placed in the correct direction
The circuit symbol for an LED is as follows:

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 Your notes

LEDs can be used to indicate the presence of a current as they illuminate when current
flows through them. The same is true for lamps

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Make sure you learn the various symbols mentioned on this page. Many of them are
very similar with small differences denoting what they do:
Two arrows pointing towards a symbol mean that it is light-dependent
Two arrows pointing away mean that it is light-emitting
Symbols are sometimes drawn with circles around them (e.g. the LDR). These circles
are often optional (although not in the case of meters and bulbs).

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