DC CIRCUITS

Series and Parallel Circuits

Resistors in Series

Consider the circuit shown in the figure where three resistors are connected in series

The circuit in figure (a) has only one closed path. Hence, a single current I flows through all the
hree resistance.
Applying Ohm’s Law to resistance R​1​, R​2​, R​3
V​1​ = IR​1
V​2​ = IR​2
V​3​ = IR​3
Applying Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law to the single loop available
V – V​1 ​– V​2​ – V​3​ = 0
V = V​1​ + V​2​ + V​3
V = IR​1​ +​ ​IR​2​ + IR​3
V = I (R​1 + ​ R​2​ + R​3​)
Applying Ohm’s Law to the equivalent circuit shown in figure (b)
V= IR​equivalent
Therefore the Equivalent Resistance
R​equivalent =
​ R​1 +
​ R​2​ + R​3
In general, when ‘n’ number of resistors are connected in series, their equivalent resistance is
given by
R​eqs =
​ [R​1 +​ R​2​ + R​3​ +……+ R​n​]

or
n
R​eqs =
​ ∑ Ri
i=1
Sample Problems

1. A filament lamp is rated for 100 W and 110 V. Find the value of the resistance to be connected
in series with this lamp so that it can be operated on a 230 V supply. What is the power loss in
the resistor?

Given: P​L =
​ 100 W ; V​L​ = 110 V ; V​ = 230
​ V

Find: R =? ; P​R =
​ ?

Solution: To maintain the same power from the lamp, the current

100 W
I= PL
VL = 110 V = ​0.9091 A
By using Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law to find the voltage across the resistor

V – V​R​ – V​L ​= 0

V​R​ = V – V​L​ = 230 V – 110 V = ​120 V

120 V
= 0.9091 A = ​132 Ω
VR
Therefore R = I

Power loss in the resistor

P​R​ = I​2​ x R = 0.9091​2​ A x 132 Ω = ​109.1 W

Resistor in Parallel

Consider the circuit shown in figure (a) where three resistors are connected in parallel

Here, voltage applied across the three resistors are same as the supply voltage V.
Applying Ohm’s Law to individual elements
I​1​ = V/R​1
I​2​ = V/R​2
I​3​ = V/R​3
Applying Kirchhoff’s Current Law to junction A
I = I​1​ + I​2​ + I​3
V V V
I = R1 + R2 + R3
1 1 1
I = V ​[ R1 + R2 + R3 ]

Applying Ohm’s Law to the equivalent circuit shown in figure (b)

1
I =V Reqp
From the equivalent resistance in series circuit it is evident that
1 1 1
1
Reqp =[ R1 + R2 + R3 ]
In general, when ‘n’ number of resistors are connected in parallel, their equivalent resistance is
given by

1 1 1
1
Reqp =[ R1 + R2 +…….+ Rn ]
or
n
1 1
Reqp = ∑ Ri
i=1

Sample Problems
2. Across a 220 V supply terminal in a house, an electric iron having a resistance of 50 ohm and
two incandescent lamps of resistances 450 ohm and 800 ohm each are connected. Find the total
current and power taken from the supply mains.

Given: V = 220 V; R​I ​= 50 Ω; R​L1 ​= 450 Ω; R​L2​ = 800 Ω

Find: I =? ; P =?

Solution: This problem can be solved by two methods.

Method 1

1 1 1
1
Reqp = Ri + RL1 + RL2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Reqp = 50 + 450 + 800 or Reqp = 50 + 450 + 800 = ​0.02 + .00222 +
0.00125

1 16+1.77+1 1
Reqp = 800 or Reqp = ​0.02347

800 1
R​eqp =
​ 18.77 = ​42.62 Ω​ ​or​ ​Reqp ​= 0.02347 = ​42.61Ω
V 220 V
I= Reqp = 42.62 Ω = ​5.162 A

P = I x V = 5.162 A x 220 V = ​1135.64 W or 1.135 kW

Method 2
I​i = V
Ri = 220 V
50 Ω = ​4.4 A

I​L1= V
RL1 = 220 V
450 Ω = ​0.489 A

I​L2= V
RL2 = 220 V
800 Ω = ​0.275A

​ I​L2​ = 4.4 A + 0.489 A + 0.275 A = ​5.164

I = I​i​ + I​L1 + A

P​i​ = I​i​V = 4.4 A x 220 V = ​968 W

​ 0.489 A x 220 V = ​107.58

P​L1 = W

P​L2​ = 0.275 A x 220 V = ​60 .5 W

​ P​L1​ + P​L2 ​ = 968 W + 107.58 W + 60.5 W = ​1136.08

P = P​i + W

Sample Problem in Series-Parallel Circuits

3. In the circuit shown in figure (a), find the current in the resistor of 40 ohm.

Solution:

First find the equivalent resistance for parallel group across terminals BC

1 1 1
1
Rbc = R2 + R3 + R4
 1 1 1 1
Rbc = 15 + 30 + 40 = ​0.067 + 0.033 + 0.025 = 0.125

R​BC =
​
1
0.125 = ​8 Ω
As shown in figure (b) this resistance R​BC​ = 8 Ω is in series with R​1​ & R​5.

Total resistance across the terminals

R​AD​ = R​AB +
​ R​BC​ + R​CD

R​AD ​ = R​1 +
​ R​BC​ + R​5

R​AD =​
​ 10 + 8 +7 = ​25 Ω
Total current

250 V
I= V
Rad = 25 Ω = ​10 A
To find the current through 40 Ω resistor, first find the voltage drop across the parallel
resistor/group in terminals BC.

V​BC​ = I x R​BC​ = 10 A x 8 Ω = ​80 V

Current through R​4​ Resistor

I​4​ ​= VR4
bc
= 80 V
40 Ω = ​2 A
Checking
For current through I​2 & I​​ 3

80 V
I​2 ​ = V bc
R2 = 15 Ω = ​5.33 A
80 V
I​3​ = V bc
R3 = 30 Ω = ​2.67 A
In a series circuit the I​T​ = I​1​ = I​2​ = I​3

Thus I​BC ​= I​2​ + I​3​ + I​4​ = 5.33 + 2.67 + 2 A = ​10 A

Therefore

I​AD​ = I​AB​ = I​BC =

​ I​CD​ or I​AD​ = I​1​ = I​BC =​
​ I​5
I​AD =
​ 10 A = 10 A = 10 A

Voltage across V​AB

V​AB ​ = I x R​CD ​ = 10 A x 10 Ω = ​100 V

100 V
I​1 =
​
V ab
R1 = 10 Ω = ​10 A
Voltage across V​CD

V​CD​ = I x R​CD​ = 10 A x 7 Ω = ​70 V

I​5​ =​ VR5
cd
= 70 V
7Ω = ​10 A

4. A Wheatstone bridge consists of AB = 4 ohm, BC = 3 ohm, CD = 6 ohm, and DA = 5 ohm. A

2.4 V cell is connected between B & D and the galvanometer of 8 ohm is connected between A
& C. Find the current through the galvanometer.

Find; I​g​ = ?
Solution:

Applying KVL for loop ADBA

-5(I​2​ + I​g​) + 2.4 V – 4I​2​ = 0

-5I​2 –​ 5I​g​ + 2.4 V -4I​2​ = 0
-9I​2​ – 5I​g​ + 2.4 V = 0
or 9I​2 + 5I​
​ g​ = 2.4 V Equation (1)

Applying KVL for loop ABCA

4I​2​ – 3I​1​ – 8I​g​ = 0

or 3I​1​ - 4I​2​ + 8I​g​ = 0 Equation (2)

Applying KVL for loop ACDA

8I​g​ – 6(I​1​ -I​g​) + 5((I​2​ + I​g​) = 0

8I​g​ – 6I​1​ + 6I​g​ + 5I​2​ + 5I​g​ = 0
-6I​1​ + 5I​2​ + 19I​g​ = 0
or 6I​1 –​ 5I​2​ -19I​g​ = 0 Equation (3)

Multiplying equation (2) by 2

3I​1​ – 4I​2​ + 8I​g​ = 0 x 2

6I​1​ – 8I​2​ + 16I​g​ = 0 Equation (4)

Subtracting equation (3) & (4)

6I​1 ​– 5I​2​ -19I​g​ = 0

6I​1​ – 8I​2​ + 16I​g​ = 0
+ 8I​2 ​ - 35I​g​ = 0 Equation (5)

Multiplying equation (5) by 3

3I​2​ - 35I​g​ = 0 x 3

9I​2​ – 105I​g =
​ 0 Equation (6)

Subtracting equation (1) & (6) to find the value of I​g

9I​2​ + 5I​g​ = 2.4

9I​2​ – 105I​g ​= 0
110I​g​ = 2.4
2.4
I​g​ = 110 = ​0.0218 A
5. A battery having an emf of 210 V and an internal resistance of 1 ohm is connected in parallel
with a DC generator of emf 220 V and an internal resistance of 0.5 ohm to supply a load having
a resistance of 5 ohm. Calculate (a) Current delivered by the battery. (b) Current delivered by the
generator and (c) Voltage across the load.

Find: I​1​ = ? ; I​2​ = ? ; V​L​ = ?

Solution:

Applying Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL) to node B

I​L =
​ I​1​ + I​2

Applying KVL to loop DABCD

V​b ​- I​1​R​b​ + I​2​R​g​ – V​g​ = 0

210 - 1I​1​ + 0.5I​g​ – 220 = 0

- 1I​1 ​+ 0.5I​g​ = 220 -210

-I​1​ + 0.5I​g​ = 10 Equation (1)

Applying KVL to loop DCBD

V​g​ – I​2​R​g​ – V​L​ = 0

V​g​ – I​2​R​g​ - I​L​R​L =

​ 0

V​g​ – I​2​R​g​ – (I​1​ + I​2​)R​L =

​ 0
220 – 0.5I​2​ – (I​1​ + I​2​)5 = 0

220 – 0.5I​2​ – 5I​1​ - 5I​2​ = 0

5I​1​ + 5.5I​2​ = 220

Divide both side by 5

5I​1​ + 5I​2​ = 220 / 5

I​1​ + 1.1I​2​ = 44 Equation (2)

Adding equation (1) & (2)

-I​1 +​ 0.5I​2​ = 44
I​1​ + 1.1I​2​ = 10
1.6I​2​ = 54

Current supplied by generator I​2​ ​ = 54

1.6 = ​33.75 A

Substituting the value of I​2​ in equation (2)

I​1​ + 1,1I​2​ = 44

I​1​ + 1,1(33.75) = 44

I​1 +
​ 37.125 = 44

I​1​ = 44 – 37.125 = ​6.875 A

Current supplied by I​1​ = ​6.875 A

Load Current

I​L ​= I​1​ + I​2​ = 6.875 A + 33.75 A = ​40.625 A

Voltage across the load

V​L ​= I​L ​x R​L​ = 40.625 A x 5 Ω = ​203.125 V

Checking: V​L =
​ (V​5 –
​ I​2​R​g​) = (V​g​ – I​1​R​b​) : 203.125 = (220 – 33.75(0.5) = (210 – 6.875(1)