Series

Circuits
Circuits
• interconnection of
electrical elements
(resistors, inductors,
capacitors, wires, voltage
sources, current sources,
switches, etc.)

• a network that has a

closed loop giving a return
path for the current
Characteristics of a
Series Circuit

•Nodes – junction of two

or more elements Node 1 Node 3

• one characteristic of a Node 2

series circuit is that two

elements are connected to
each other by only one
similar node. Node 5
Node 4

•Voltage Divider Rule

Total
Resistance

RTotal = R1 + R2 + … + RN
Total
Current

ITotal = I1 = I2 = … = IN

the current through each of the components is the same

Total
Voltage

VTotal = V1 + V2 + … + VN
the voltage across the components is the sum of the voltages
across each component
 Series circuits
• sometimes called current-coupled or daisy
chain-coupled
• The current that flows in a series circuit will
flow through every component in the circuit.
• Therefore, all of the components in a series
connection carry the same current.
Series Circuit
 Series Circuit (cont’d)
In this animation you should notice the following
things:
• The battery or source is represented by an escalator
which raises charges to a higher level of energy.
• As the charges move through the resistors
(represented by the paddle wheels) they do work on
the resistor and as a result, they lose electrical
energy.
 Series Circuit (cont’d)
• By the time each charge makes it back to the
battery, it has lost all the energy given to it by
the battery.
• The total of the potential drops ( - potential
difference) across the resistors is the same as
the potential rise ( + potential difference)
across the battery. This demonstrates that a
charge can only do as much work as was done
on it by the battery.
 Series Circuit (cont’d)
• The charges do more work (give up more
electrical energy) as they pass through the
larger resistor.
• The charges are positive so this is a
representation of Conventional Current (the
apparent flow of positive charges)
• The charges are only flowing in one direction so
this would be considered direct current ( D.C. ).
Resistors
 Inductors

Inductors follow the same law, in that the total inductance of non-
coupled inductors in series is equal to the sum of their individual
inductances
 Capacitors

The working voltage of a series combination of identical capacitors is

equal to the sum of voltage ratings of individual capacitors provided
that equalizing resistors are used to ensure equal voltage division. This
is all because of Ohm's law V = RI
 Series Circuit - Resistance
Consider a typical household electrical outlet as a 120-
volt source for the circuit and the light bulbs as
resistors in a closed circuit. The wires are assumed to
have no resistance themselves and connect each of
the light bulbs in a single, closed circuit.
 Solution:
• RT = R1 + R2 + R3 = 10 ohm +35 Ohm +15 ohm = 60 ohm

• IT = ET/RT = 120 Volts = 2 amps

60 ohm

• IT = I1 = I2 =I3 = 2 amps

• E1 = I1R1 = 2 amps x 10 ohms = 20 volts

• E2 = I2R2 = 2 amps x 35 ohms = 70 volts

• E3 = I3R3 = 2 amps x 15 ohms = 30 volts

• ET = E1 +E2 + E3

• 120 volts = 20 volts + 70 volts +30 volts

 Series Circuit - Capacitance
• Find the current flow in the circuit shown.
• Find the capacitive reactance.
 Solution:
•

•
 Series Circuit - Conductance

Find the current flow in the circuit with the pure

inductor shown:
 Solution:
•

•
 Series Circuit – Combination
Determine the total impedance and current flow
for the circuit shown.
 Solution:
•