Gcse physics science revision covering series and parallel circuits, current and voltage skip to main content. Gcse physics revision section of revision science covering series and. In series circuits, electrical components are connected one after another in a single loop. The greater the cells current the more work is done against the.
Circuit rules an electron will not pass through every component on its way round the circuit. This diagram shows that an ammeter must be connected in series with the components you want to measure and a voltmeter must be connected in parallel. Series and parallel circuits simple english wikipedia, the. This is because electrons are negatively charged and want to move away from the negative terminal and head towards the positive terminal. Gcse physics electricity what is the current in a series.
If one of the loads on a series circuit stops working, the current will not be able to flow through the rest of the circuit, and the rest of the loads will also stop working. How is a parallel circuit different from a series circuit. Home gcse study tools physics series and parallel circuits. When logic gates are connected they form a circuit. Circuits wired in series are the easiest to understand, with current flowing in one continuous, smooth direction. Electric current is measured in units called amperes amps for short and has the symbol a. Electric current free the rate of flow of electrons. Series circuits electric circuits aqa gcse combined science.
If one of the bulbs is broken then current will not be able to flow round the circuit. This means it is in parallel and it also needs a high resistance otherwise all the current would. In a series circuit, the same amount of amperage from the power source flows through each load. The first disadvantage is that, if one component in a series circuit fails, then all the. Gcse science physics 91 current in series circuits duration. The current in a series circuit is the same everywhere. Found in many appliances in an around the home, series circuits are designed to perform only one main task. In series resistances add up, in parallel introducing new branches always reduces the overall resistance. The series circuit above has three different resistors. Gcse physics revision section of revision science covering series and parallel circuits, current and voltage. Would it be reasonable to say each branch of the circuit behaves. When components are connected one after another in a ring, the components are said to be in series with each other and the circuit is. What is potential difference definition from seneca learning. Electrical symbols electrical circuits, ac and dc gcse.
Series circuits you should have come across the difference between series and. An example of a series circuit is shown above with three different resistors. This means that current, the flow of charge in a circuit, and voltage, the electromotive force that causes current to flow, measurements between parallel and series circuits differ as well. The second disadvantage is that the more components there are in a series circuit, the greater the circuits resistance. Series and parallel circuits ks3 physics bbc bitesize. Jun 11, 2017 gcse science physics 91 potential difference in series circuits. Gcse science physics 91 potential difference in series circuits.
A cell in a circuit has its own internal resistance, r. Gcse physics science revision covering series and parallel circuits, current and voltage. The current in a series circuit has only one single path to flow through. Gcse science physics 91 current in series circuits youtube.
The difference between a complete and incopmlete circuit is. A series circuit is basically a circuit that contains just one single path for a power source to go through, which means that the circuit current has to flow throughout the entire load for everything to work as it should. Parallel and series circuit current and potential difference. The current stays the same everywhere in a series circuit. In a series circuit, the current through each load is the same and the total voltage across the circuit is the sum of the voltages across each load. Series circuits have two disadvantages when compared with parallel circuits. Gcse physics circuit calculations series and parallel. Series circuit definition of series circuit by the free. Logic circuits are designed to perform a particular function, understanding the nature of that function requires a logic circuit truth table. The voltage in a series circuit is divided up across all of the loads. From wikibooks, open books for an open world series circuits.
And here is a series circuit consisting of a cell and two lamps. Current electricity and conventional current gcse and a. Usually, series circuits only contain two elements beyond the circuit breakera switch and the element controlled by the switch. Sensing circuits a potential divider circuit where one of the resistances is a semiconductor sensitive to its environment. Parallel circuit definition of parallel circuit by the free. An ammeter will measure the same current wherever it is placed in the circuit. Series circuits have all their components lamps, cells, switches, etc. A parallel circuit is rather like two or more series circuits connected to the same energy source. Series and parallel circuits physics gcse revision.
Parallel circuits series and parallel circuits eduqas gcse. Any break in a circuit causes the whole thing to go down, so one faulty christmas tree light can cause the whole lot to go out and then how do you figure out which one blew. A simple series circuit definition is, a circuit with the components arranged in a straight line, so all of the current flows through each component in turn. Notice that the components lie inside parallel loops connected to the same energy source. Circuit containing a switch, ammeter and cell, all connected in series, and two. And the more work you have a series circuit do, the more your current will decrease. We look at what is meant by potential difference and then what happens to potential difference in series circuits. For example, here is a series circuit consisting of a cell and a lamp. If you made a basic loop circuit with a battery connected to two resistors, and then have a connection running back to the battery, the two resistors would be in series. Gcse science physics 91 current in parallel circuits. And here is a parallel circuit connecting a cell and three lamps. A description of a series circuit for gcse physics. What is the difference between a complete and incomplete.
In a closed circuit that includes a source of potential difference voltage there will be a current flowing around the circuit. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Next, pupils have to identify whether a circuit is a series circuit or a parallel circuit from a set of diagrams. Parallel circuits series and parallel circuits eduqas.
Gcse science physics 91 potential difference in series. We look at whats meant by a series circuit and by an electric current. Notice that all the components are connected in one loop of wire. Definition of a simple electrical series circuit sciencing.
More often than not, this type of circuit is used with christmas lights. Series and parallel circuits flashcards in gcse physics. The total resistance is always less than the smallest value of resistance. Series circuits, by contrast, arrange all of their elements in a single, closed loop. For gcse physics coursework and exams for students, parents and teachers. Gcse scienceparallel and series circuits revision questions. Gcse physics revision section of revision science covering series and parallel circuits. What is the difference between series vs parallel circuits. For example, here is a parallel circuit connecting a cell and two lamps.
Creating a truth table for a logic circuit is trickier than doing so for a single gate. The first disadvantage is that, if one component in a series circuit fails, then all the components in the circuit fail because the circuit has been broken. Let electric current i quantified as ampere flow through the series circuit. This topic includes both circuits which use direct current and mains electricity which is an alternating supply. An electron will pass through every component on its way round the circuit. Electrical dc series and parallel circuit electrical study.
Series circuits electric circuits aqa gcse combined. Gcse scienceparallel and series circuits answers wikibooks. An explanation is given of how any break in a series circuit results in no flow of electricity. Circuit symbols free the symbols you need to remember when drawing and making circuits. Oct 19, 2016 a structured worksheet for students to work through with a variety of problems relating to series and parallel circuits.
Complete means that electricity can and will flow through it where as with an incomplete circuit does not have. A structured worksheet for students to work through with a variety of problems relating to series and parallel circuits. What is a series circuit when components are connected one after another in a ring, the components are said to be in series with each other and the circuit is called a series circuit an example of a series circuit is shown above with three different resistors the current has only one single path to flow. Electric current is the flow of electrons from the negative terminal to the positive terminal of a cell.
An ammeter placed anywhere in a series circuit always gives the same reading. Privacy and cookies policy and we want you to know what this means for you. An electric circuit connected so that current passes through each circuit element in turn without branching. Series and parallel circuits gcserevision, physics. When components are connected one after another in a ring, the components are said to be in series with each other and the circuit is called a series circuit. The current has only one single path to flow through. Potential dividers a circuit where the voltage is shared in the ratio of two or more resistances in series. How is voltage calculated in series and parallel circuits.
This video provides an overview of series and parallel circuits. A series circuit is a closed circuit in which the current follows one path, as opposed to a parallel circuit where the circuit is divided into two or more paths. Then, students are given a worksheet of parallel and series circuits, given the current of the ammeter shown in the diagram they will need to work out the current of the ammeters placed elsewhere in the circuit. Suppose three resistors r 1, r 2 and r 3 are connected in series across a voltage source of v quantified as volts as shown in the figure. This means the total number of electrons and hence current going around a circuit must remain the same. There are two types of current, alternating current ac and direct current dc. Gcse physics science revision section covering circuits, electricity, current, voltage, resistance, current in a series circuit, current in a parallel circuit, voltage in a series circuit, voltage in a parallel circuit, resistance through components, charge in circuits and energy in circuits.
Sep 23, 2019 next, pupils have to identify whether a circuit is a series circuit or a parallel circuit from a set of diagrams. This encourages them to think about the rules and state them along with descriptions of observations and explanations of what is happening. Electrical circuits are connected in series or in parallel. Electricity equations and definitions gcse gorillaphysics. Parallel circuits are a bit trickier, allowing multiple circuits to connect while operating individually as part of a larger circuit.
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