Parallel Circuits Flashcards
What are parallel circuits?
Circuits that contain more than one path of current flow.
What are the three rules of parallel circuits?
- Voltage is the same across all branches of a parallel circuit
- Total current is the sum of the current flowing through each branch
- The reciprocal of the total resistance is the sum of the reciprocals of each branch.
Is the total resistance of a parallel circuit less or more than the lowest value resistor?
Less
What happens to total resistance and rate of flow whenever a new return path is added to a parallel circuit?
Total resistance decreases while the rate of flow increases
What are the three formulas for finding the total resistance in a parallel circuit?
Rt = R/N
Rt - Total resistance
R - Resistance of one resistor
N - Number of resistors
Rt = R1XR2/R1+R2
R1 - Value of one resistor
R2 - Value of another resistor
1/Rt = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + 1/Rn
Rn = Number of resistors
In what scenario would you use each formula for finding total resistance?
- Use Rt = R/N when all of the resistors have the same value.
- Use Rt = R1XR2/R1+R2 when all of the resistors have different values.
- Use 1/Rt = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + 1/Rn to find the reciprical of the total resistance
How can you find the total resistance by using the reciprocal formula?
To find the total resistance, you need to take the reciprocal of the reciprocal of total resistance.
Rt = 1/(1/R1+1/R2+1/R3)
What is a current divider?
It is a circuit that is constructed to produce a specific amount of current flow through a branch.
What is the current divider formula and what is it used for?
Ix = (Rt/Rx)It
- Formula is used to calculate the current flow through any branch.
What is divided in series circuits? What is divided in parallel circuits?
Voltage in series circuits and current in parallel circuits
