Circuit Rules and

Kirchoff’s Laws
Direct Current Circuits
Learning Objectives
 Recall the difference between a parallel and
series circuit
 Analyse parallel and series circuits with respect
to potential difference across and current
through components
 State and Explain Kirchoff’s 1st and 2nd Laws
Series Circuits
 The current entering a component is the same as the current
leaving the component.
 Components do not use up current.

 The current passing through two or more components in series is

the same through each component.
 Rate of flow of charge through each component is the same

 For Two or more components the total pd across all the

components is equal to the sum of the pds across each component.
 Pd across each component is the energy delivered per coulomb of
charge to the component.
 Total pd across all components is the total energy delivered to the
components per coulomb charge passing through them and is
equal to the pd across the supply terminals.
Parallel Circuits

 At any junction in a circuit, the total current leaving the

junction is equal to the total current entering the junction.
 Rate of flow of charge entering a junction equals that leaving.
 KIRCHOFF’S 1ST LAW

 The pd across components in parallel is the same.

 Charge carriers can pass through either of the components in
parallel. Equal amounts of energy are carried by charge carriers
regardless of which component they travel through.
Kirchoff’s 2nd Law

 For any complete loop of a circuit, the sum of the emfs round
the loop is equal to the sum of the potential differences
around the loop.
 From conservation of energy.
Prep

 Complete Questions

 Research Superconductors
 What are they?
 What is meant by critical temperature?
 Give an example of a superconductor and where they are used.
Resistors in Series and
Parallel
Learning Objectives

 Calculate resistances in series and parallel

 Define resistance heating

 Calculate the current and pds for each component in a circuit

Resistors in series

 The same current passes through all resistors in series.

 The total pds is equal to the sum of the individual pds.

Resistors in Parallel

 Resistors in parallel have the same pd across them.

 The current through a parallel combination of resistors is

equal to the sum of the individual currents.
Resistance Heating

 Heating effect of an electric current in any component is due

to the resistance of the component.

 Charge carriers repeatedly collide with the positive ions.

 Energy is transferred due to these collisions

 After charge carrier loses KE in a collision the force due to the

pd across material accelerates it until it collides with another
ion.
Resistance Heating

 If component is at constant temperature the heat transfer to

the surroundings takes place at a constant rate

 If component heats up, its temperature rise depends on the

power supplied to it and the rate of heat transfer to the
surroundings.

 The energy transferred to the object by electrical current in

time t = power x time = I2Rt

 The energy transfer per second to the component does not

depend on the direction of the current.