GCSE

SERIES AND PARALLEL CIRCUITS

Series and parallel circuits behave differently when we compare the current and potential
difference in each part of the circuit.

1. Calculate the current at the points in the circuits below.

1.2 A 1.2 A 1.2 A

a b

0.6 A 0.8 A

a= b=

c 1.8 A

0.4 A 0.4 A

d
0.6 A
0.6 A

c= e

d= e=

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 f 2.4 A

0.4 A i

g 1.8 A
0.6 A j

h 0.9 A
1.3 A k

f= g= h= i= j= k=

1.2 A s

2.4 A

p q
0.4 A

l 1.0 A
0.7 A
0.6 A

r
m
o

n
1.0 A
p= q=
l= m=
r= s=
n= o=

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2. Calculate the potential difference (voltage) across each of these resistors in the circuits
below.

3.0 V 6.0 V

1.0 V

a d

b e

c f

a= b= c= d= e= f=

8.0 V 10.0 V

2.0 V i 2.2 V

g 4.7 V

h 2.0 V 0.7 V k

g= h= i= j= k=

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3. Calculate the missing values in the circuits below.

4.5 V 6.0 V

d
a
10 Ω
0.8 A
0.9 A e
b 15 Ω

f
a= A (current)
R =?
b= Ω (resistance)
c= A (current) d= V (potential difference)
e= A (current)
f= Ω (resistance)

8.0 V 10.0 V

2.0 V 3.1 V 2.2 V

h
g
47 Ω

2.0 V 0.7 V
2.0 Ω 25 Ω

g= A (current) h= A (current)

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