Chapter 17 D.C.

Circuits

Name: __________________________ ( ) Class: ________ Date: ___________

Chapter 17: D.C. Circuits

Objectives:
1. Draw circuit diagrams with power sources (cell, battery, d.c. supply or a.c. supply),
switches, lamps, resistors (fixed and variable), variable potential divider
(potentiometer), fuses, ammeters and voltmeters, bells, light-dependent resistors,
thermistors and light-emitting diodes.
2. State that the current at every point in a series circuit is the same and apply the
principle to new situations or to solve related problems.
3. State that the sum of the potential differences in a series circuit is equal to the potential
difference across the whole circuit and apply the principle to new situations or to solve
related problems.
4. State that the sum of the currents in the separate branches of a parallel circuit is equal
to the current from the source and apply the principle to new situations or to solve
related problems
5. State that the potential difference across the separate branches of a parallel circuit is
the same and apply the principle to new situations or to solve related problems.
6. Recall and apply the formulae for the effective resistance of a number of resistors in
series and in parallel to new situations or to solve related problems.
7. Recall and apply the relevant relationships, including R = V/I and those for current,
potential differences and resistors in series and in parallel circuits, in calculations
involving a whole circuit.
8. Describe the action of a variable potential divider (potentiometer).
9. Describe the action of negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors and light-
dependent resistors and explain their use as input transducers in potential dividers.
10. Solve simple circuit problems involving NTC thermistors and light-dependent resistors.

Circuit Construction Kit: DC (colorado.edu)

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

17.1 Series Circuits

1. In a series circuit, the components are connected one after another in a single loop. Thus,
only one path
there is _____________________ through which electric current can flow and the
current through every point in the circuit is the same
___________________________________________________________.

series to one another and to the electrical

2. The circuit below shows 3 bulbs connected in _______
the same
source. Thus the readings on all 4 ammeters A, A1, A2 and A3 are _________.

I=I =I =I
I
A
I3
A3
A1
I1 I2
A2

also
3. If any of the bulbs shown above blows, or is removed, the rest of the bulbs will _______
not light up
_______________ no path for the charges
open and there is __________
as the circuit is now _______
to flow through.
sum of the potential difference across each component ______
4. In a series circuit, the __________________________
is equal to the potential difference across the circuit
_________________________________________.

V =V +V +V

Ve

V1 V2 V3

largest resistance
5. For a series circuit, the component that has the ___________________ has the ______
highest potential difference
______________________________________ across it.

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

6. Resistors in Series:
(i) current I, flowing through each resistor is the
The __________, same
_____________.
(ii) The sum of the potential difference across each resistor
____________________________________________________, V1, V2 and V3 is
equal to the total potential difference
____________________________________________ across the 3 resistors, V.
(iii) Thus, using the formula V = IR, we can prove that for resistors in series, the
combined resistance is the sum of the individual resistances
_______________________________________________________.

equivalent
I R1 R2 R3 I R
to
V1 V2 V3
V
V

R=R +R +R

NB: The combined resistance is always greater than the largest

of the individual resistance.

Questions

1. What is the effective resistance of the resistors connected in the arrangement shown
below?

5Ω 3Ω 4Ω 2Ω 3Ω 4Ω 5Ω

5 + 3 + 4 = 12Ω 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + = 14Ω

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

2. Consider the circuit below.

8V

4Ω 6Ω

Calculate
(a) the combined resistance of the resistors,
(b) the current flowing through the battery,
(c) the current in the 4 Ω resistor,
(d) the potential difference across the 4 Ω resistor.
(e) the current in the 6 Ω resistor
(f) the potential difference across the 6 Ω resistor.

a) 4Ω+6Ω=10Ω
b) V = IR
I = 8V ÷ 10Ω
= 0.8A
c) 0.8A
d) V = I R
= 0.8A x 4Ω
= 3.2V
e) I = I = 0.8A
f) V = V - V
= 8 - 3.2
= 4.8V

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

3. Consider the circuit below.

2Ω 3Ω

The current through the 2 Ω resistor is 2.5 A. Determine the

(a) potential difference across the 2 Ω resistor.
(b) potential difference across the 3 Ω resistor.
(c) the e.m.f. of the battery.

4. Consider the circuit below where the ammeter shows a reading of 0.2 A.
5V

A
R 10 Ω

(a) What is the potential difference across the 10 Ω resistor?

(b) What is the potential difference across the resistor, R?
(c) What is the resistance, R?

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

17.2 Parallel Circuits

1. In a parallel circuit, the components are connected to the source in two or more loops,
more than one path through which the current can flow. Thus
thus, there are ________________________
the current can flow to all the branches of the circuit.

parallel to one another and to the

2. The circuit below shows 3 bulbs connected in ________
sum of the individual currents
electrical source. In a parallel circuit, the ___________________________________ in
equal to the main current flowing into and
each of the parallel branches is ____________________________________________
out of the parallel branches
__________________________________.

I=I +I +I

I
I1
A1
A

I2
A2

I3
A3

the rest of the bulbs will

3. If any of the bulbs shown above blows, or is removed, __________________________
still light up as the circuit is still closed as there are other paths for the charges to
_______________
flow through.

smallest resistance
4. For a parallel circuit, the component with the _________________________ allows the
largest amount of current
__________________________________ to pass through it.

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

parallel to one another and to the

5. The circuit below shows 2 resistors connected in __________
the same
electrical source. The readings on all 3 voltmeters Vε, V1 and V2 are _____________.

V =V =V

Vε

V1

V2

potential difference (p.d.) across

6. If the cell has negligible internal resistance, the ________________________________
each resistor would be ____________________________________________.
_________________ equal to the e.m.f. of the cell

7. Resistors in Parallel:
(i) The same
potential difference across each resistor is the __________.
____________________________
(ii) The sum of the currents
______________________________ flowing through the resistors, I1, I2 and I3 is
equal to the total current
___________________________________ flowing through the 3 resistors, I.
(iii) Thus, using the formula I = V/R, we can prove that for resistors in parallel,
the reciprocal of the effective resistance is equal to the sum
__________________________________________________________________
of the reciprocal of individual resistances
_____________________________________________.
R1
I1
R2 equivalent
I I2 I I R
to
R3
I3 V
V

1 1 1 1
R = R 1 + R 2 + R3

NB: The combined resistance R is smaller than the smallest individual

resistance.

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

Questions

1. What is the effective resistance of the resistors connected in the arrangement shown
below?

5Ω
1/5Ω + 1/10Ω + 1/5Ω
10 Ω

5Ω

6Ω

3Ω
1/6Ω + 1/3Ω + 1/2Ω
2Ω

2. Consider the circuit below.

2Ω 4Ω
12 V

(a) What is the potential difference across the 2 Ω resistor?

(b) What is the current flowing through the 2 Ω resistor?
(c) What is the potential difference across the 4 Ω resistor?
(d) What is the current flowing through the 4 Ω resistor?
(e) What is the current delivered by the battery?

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

3. Consider the circuit below. c) When the third resistor is

connected in parallel, current
flow in original 2 resistors
remain the same and there is
6V 3Ω 6Ω additional I flow in the third
resistor, increasing the total
current.
(a) Calculate the effective resistance of the parallel resistors.
(b) Using your result in (a), calculate the current flowing through the battery.
(c) If a third resistor of value 1 Ω is connected in parallel to the original 2 resistors, will the
current through the battery increase, decrease or remain the same? Explain your
answer.

17.3 Resistors in Series and Parallel

Series Circuit Parallel Circuit

Current Same through every
• _______ • The component with the
component. least resistance allows
________________
largest current
the ___________________
to pass through.

• The sum of the current in

________________
equal
all the branches is _______
to the total current flowing
__________
from the source.

Voltage • Component with the largest Same

______ • __________ across each
resistance
_________ has the highest______ component.
_____________
potential difference across it.

• The sum
__________________
of the potential difference
across all the components is
equal
_________ to the _____
___________________.
e.m.f of the source

A component No current flows

• _____________________. stops in the
• Current _______________
removed branch
_____________ where the
component was removed.

• Current continues to flow

____ in
the other branches
_____________________.

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

Questions
1. The diagrams below show different arrangements of 3 resistors of the same resistance.
Which arrangement has the smallest effective resistance?

A C

B D

( )

2. The diagram shows a circuit with four ammeters, together with some resistors.

A4
3Ω

A2 A3

3Ω 2Ω

A1
1Ω

Which two ammeters show the same current?

A A1 and A2 C A1 and A4
B A2 and A3 D A2 and A4
( )

3. In the circuit below, when switch S across the resistor R is open, the lamp glows.

What happens to the lamp when the switch S is closed?

A It goes off.
B It becomes brighter.
C It becomes dimmer.
D It remains the same.
( )

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

4. Three identical resistors, P, Q and R are connected as shown in the circuit below. The
current through resistor Q is 0.5 A and the potential difference across it is 1.5 V.

Q
P

Determine the
(a) resistance of Q.
(b) potential difference across R.
(c) the current in R.
(d) current in P.
(e) potential difference across P.
(f) e.m.f. of the cell.

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

5. Three resistors are connected across a dry cell as shown in the circuit below. The current
through the 4 Ω resistor is 1.5 A.

6Ω
4Ω
3Ω

Determine the
(a) effective resistance of the circuit.
(b) e.m.f. of the cell assuming its internal resistance is negligible.
(c) potential difference across the 4 Ω resistor.
(c) potential difference across the 6 Ω resistor.
(d) potential difference across the 3 Ω resistor.
(e) current through the 3 Ω resistor.

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

6. Consider the circuit below:

3Ω

4V 2Ω

6Ω

Determine the
(a) effective resistance of the circuit.
(b) current flowing through the cell.
(c) current flowing through the 2 Ω resistor.
(d) potential difference across the 2 Ω resistor.
(e) potential difference across the 3 Ω resistor.
(f) current flowing through the 3 Ω resistor.
(g) potential difference across the 6 Ω resistor.
(h) current flowing through the 6 Ω resistor.

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

7. A certain type of bulb glows with normal brightness when it is connected to one cell. For
each of the circuits below, state and explain whether the bulb glows as brightly, more
brightly or less brightly than normal.

(a) as brightly
The bulbs glow ________________________
because
each bulb has the same potential
________________________________________
difference as the cell.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

(b) less brightly

The bulbs glow ________________________
because
each bulb has half the potential difference.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

(c) more brightly

The bulbs glow ________________________
because
each bulb has twice the potential
________________________________________
difference.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

17.4 Potential Divider

1. A potential divider is a circuit with resistors arranged in series and it can divide a main
voltage into two voltages.

2. Vout can be calculated by:

3. If R1 is a variable resistor, its resistance can be varied to vary the output voltage, V out
such that when the resistance of _______________________, the output voltage
____________________ and vice versa.

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

Questions
1. (a) A variable resistor XY of resistance 5 Ω to 15 Ω is connected in series with a 5 Ω
resistor to a 6.0 V battery. An ammeter measures the current and a voltmeter
measures the potential difference across the 5 Ω resistor.
Calculate
(i) the maximum and minimum readings of the ammeter.
(ii) the maximum and minimum readings of the voltmeter.
6.0 V

A
5Ω V

X Y

(b) The 5 Ω resistor and the variable resistor are then reconnected as shown below.
Calculate the maximum and minimum readings of the ammeter.
6.0 V

A
5Ω

X Y

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

17.5 Transducers

convert energy from one form

1. Transducers are electrical or electronic devices that _______________
to another.

respond to
2. They ________________ temperature
physical quantities like __________________ and
light
___________ and act as the interface between the environment and an electronic
system.

non-electrical energy to electrical energy

3. Transducers that convert _________________________________________________
input transducers E.g. microphones, thermistors, thermocouples, light-
are called __________________.
dependent resistors.

electrical energy to other forms of energy

4. Transducers that convert _________________________________________________
output transducers
are called __________________________. E.g. loudspeakers, light emitting diodes,
voltmeters, ammeters.

5. Light-dependent Resistors (LDR)

(i) _________________________ amount of light
electrical resistance changes as the ____________________ falling on it
changes
____________
dark LDR has ________
(ii) in the ________, high difficult for current to flow
resistance, __________
through it electrical resistance changes
(iii) in _____________, low
bright light LDR has ________ easy for current to flow
resistance, ________
through it

6. NCT(negative temperature coefficient) Thermistors

(i) electrical resistance changes as temperature changes
________________________________________________________________
(ii) temperature rises _______
when ____________________, low resistance, _______
easy for current to flow
through it
(iii) temperature falls _______
when __________________, high resistance, _________
difficult for current to flow
through it
(iv) temperature control or temperature measurement
used for _________________________________________________________

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 Chapter 17 D.C. Circuits

Questions
1. In the circuit below, a 2700 Ω resistor is connected in series with a light-dependent
resistor (LDR), which has a resistance of 3300 Ω, and with a 12 V power supply.
12 V

LDR
3300 Ω
2700 Ω

(i) Calculate the current through the LDR.

(ii) Calculate the voltage across the LDR.
(iii) The resistance of the LDR decreases as brighter light falls on it. Describe and
explain how the voltage across the LDR changes as the brightness of the light
that falls on it increases.

(iii) When the brightness of the light decreases, resistance of LDR

decreases, current flow increases, voltage across the 2700 OHM
resistor decreases. So voltage across the LDR increases.

2. A student designs an electrical circuit to turn on a fan motor when the temperature is
high. The motor is designed to operate normally from a 12V supply, and has a
resistance of 4.0 Ω.
The student’s design is shown in the figure below. When temperature rises,
12 V
resistance of thermistor
decreases, the current flow
decreases.
thermistor at room motor
temperature 4.0 Ω
M
(a) Describe and explain what happens to the current in the circuit when the
temperature in the room rises.
(b) For the thermistor of resistance 500 Ω, calculate
(i) the current in the circuit,
(ii) the potential difference across the motor.

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