Arrangement of Cells

emf = 1.5 V
  

Two cells in series with positive terminal of first

cell connect to negative terminal of next cell.
=>emf = 2 * 1.5 = 3.0V

Cells in Two cells in series with positive terminal of first

Series cell connect to positive terminal of next cell.
=>emf = 1.5 – 1.5 = 0V

Two cells in series with positive terminal of first

cell connect to positive terminal of next cell.
=>emf = 2.0 – 1.5 = 0.5V

Note that in this case, current will flow

anticlockwise, which is determined by bigger
power source.

Two cells in parallel with positive terminal of first

cell connect to positive terminal of next cell and
negative to negative terminal.
=>emf = 1.5V for the circuit but it will last longer
    as compare to only one cell of 1.5V in the circuit.
Cells in
Parallel
Two cells in parallel with positive terminal of first
cell connect to negative terminal of next cell and
negative to positive terminal.
=>No emf supplied to the circuit.
   

Note that we cannot connect two cells with different e.m.f in parallel as they should be the
same in parallel circuit, which will be discussed in D.C Circuit.

Non-ohmic Conductors 
Non-ohmic Conductors are conductors do not obey ohm’s law. Their resistances can
be varied and their V– I or I –V graphs are not a straight line.
Types:
Filament Lamp
Thermistor
Diode

Filament Lamp Thermistor Diode

Allow current to flow in one

direction only.

Forward Biased Reverse Biased

-Current -No current
flowing, flowing,
Temperature increases, Temperature increases,
-R is negligible -R is very large,
Resistance increases Resistance decreases
(0Ω), -Treated as open
-Treated as wire circuit

             

             

Note that the shapes of V-I and I-V graphs are basically the reflection about V = I line.
We can use the same experimental method discussed above to determine the resistance of
non-ohmic conductor at a point. After plotting the graph, we just need to mark out the point
and find the respective current and p.d for that point. Then use formula R = V / I to find the
resistance.

Series Circuit Parallel Circuit

            

The current flowing into and out of the

Same current throughout the circuit parallel branches is sum of the
i.e I1 = I2 = I3 individual current in the branch.
i.e I1 = I4 = I2 + I3

p.d across the whole circuit is sum of the p.d Same p.d across the parallel branches
across each component. i.e V = V1 = V2
 i.e V = V1 + V2

The reciprocal of the combined

resistance is sum of the reciprocal of
The combined resistance for the whole circuit individual resistance
is sum of all the resistances. 1 1 1
i.e R  = R  + R i.e  ⁄Reff =  ⁄R1 +  ⁄R2 or 
eff 1 2

Note that Reff is always larger than the Reff = (1⁄R1 + 1⁄R2)-1

largest of the individual resistance.
Note that Reff is always smaller than the
smallest of the individual resistance.
Note that “combined resistance” is also known as “effective resistance” or “equivalent resistance”.