Electric Circuits

Series Circuits
 Goals

 Build and analyze series circuits.

 Apply Ohm’s law to calculate the current
in a series circuit.
 Explain how energy conservation applies
to electric circuits.
 Series Circuits

 In a series circuit,
current can only take
one path, so the
current is the same at
all points in the
circuit.
Electrical Systems
 Inexpensive strings of
holiday lights are wired
with the bulbs in series.
 If you remove one of the
bulbs from its socket, the
whole string of mini bulbs
will go out.
 Current and resistance in series circuits

 If you know the resistance of each device, you can

find the total resistance of the circuit by adding up
the resistance of each device.
 Current and resistance in series circuits

 Think of adding
resistances like
adding pinches to a
hose.
 Each pinch adds
some resistance.
 Current and resistance in series circuits

 Everything has some resistance, even wires.

Solving Problems

 A series circuit contains a 12-

V battery and three bulbs
with resistances of1Ω, 2 Ω,
and 3 Ω.
 What is the current in the
circuit?
 Solving Problems

1. Looking for:
 …current (amps)
2. Given
 …Voltage = 12V; resistances = 1Ω, 2 Ω, 3 Ω.
3. Relationships:
 Rtot = R1+R2+R3
 Ohm’s Law I = V ÷ R
4. Solution
 Rtot = 6 Ω
 I = 12 V ÷ 6 Ω = 2 amps
 Energy and voltage
in a series circuit
 Energy cannot be created or destroyed.
 The devices in a circuit convert electrical
energy carried by the current into other
forms of energy.
 As each device uses power, the power
carried by the current is reduced.
 Voltage drop
 As a result, the voltage is
lower after each device
that uses power.
 This is known as the
voltage drop.
 The voltage drop is the
difference in voltage
across an electrical device
that has current flowing
through it.
 Voltage drop
 The law of conservation of
energy also applies to a
circuit.
 In this circuit, each bulb has a
resistance of 1 ohm, so each
has a voltage drop of 1 volt
when 1 amp flows through the
circuit.
 Voltage drop and Ohm’s Law
 Kirchhoff’s voltage law states that the total of all
the voltage drops must add up to the battery’s
voltage.
 Solving Problems

 The circuit shown contains a

9-volt battery, a 1-ohm bulb,
and a 2-ohm bulb.
 Calculate the circuit’s total
resistance and current.
 Then find each bulb’s voltage
drop.
 Solving Problems

1. Looking for:
 …total resistance; voltage drop each bulb
2. Given
 …Voltage = 9V; resistances = 1Ω, 2 Ω.
3. Relationships:
 Rtot = R1+R2+R3
 Ohm’s Law I = V ÷ R
4. Solution- part 1
 Rtot = 3 Ω
 I = 9 V ÷ 3 Ω = 3 amps
 Solving Problems

4. Solution- part 2
 Use resistance to find current
I = 9 V ÷ 3 Ω = 3 amps
 Solution- part 3
 Rearrange Ohm’s law to solve for voltage
 Use current to find each voltage drop
V=IxR
V1 = (3 A) x (1 Ω) = 3 volts
V2 = (3 A) x (2 Ω) = 6 volts (3 + 6 ) = 9 V
Electric Circuits

Parallel Circuits
 Goals

 Build and analyze parallel circuits.

 Compare and contrast series and parallel
circuits.
 Discuss advantages for using parallel
circuits in homes.
 Parallel Circuits
 In parallel circuits the current can take
more than one path.
 Kirchhoff’s Current Law

 All of the current

entering a branch
point must exit again.
 This is known as
Kirchhoff’s current
law.
Voltage and parallel circuits
 If the voltage is the
same along a wire,
then the same
voltage appears
across each branch
of a parallel circuit.
 Voltage and parallel circuits
 Parallel circuits have two advantages over
series circuits.
1. Each device in the circuit has a voltage drop equal
to the full battery voltage.
2. Each device in the circuit may be turned off
independently without stopping the current in the
other devices in the circuit.
 Current and parallel circuits
 Each branch works
independently so
the total current in
a parallel circuit is
the sum of the
currents in each
branch.
Calculating in circuits
 In a series circuit, adding
an extra resistor
increases the total
resistance of the circuit.
 In a parallel circuit, more
current flows so the total
resistance decreases.
 Parallel vs. Series
 Remember: series/same/current;
parallel/same/voltage.
 Use Ohm’s law for both.
 Solving Problems

 All of the electrical outlets in

Jonah’s living room are on one
parallel circuit.
 The circuit breaker cuts off the
current if it exceeds 15 amps.
 Will the breaker trip if he uses a
light (240 Ω), stereo (150 Ω), and
an air conditioner (10 Ω)?
 Solving Problems

1. Looking for:
 whether current exceeds 15 amps
2. Given:
 ……resistances = 240 Ω; 150 Ω; 10 Ω
3. Relationships:
 Assume voltage for each branch = 220 V
0.9
 Ohm’s Law I = V ÷ R
+1.46
 Kirchhoff’s Current Law Itotal = I1 +I2 +I3 +2.2
4. Solution: 4.56
 Ilight = 220 V ÷ 240 Ω = 0.9amps
 Istereo = 220 V ÷ 150 Ω = 1.46 amps Breaker will
 Ia/c = 220 V ÷ 100 Ω = 2.2 amps not trip
 Measuring current, voltage, and resistance

Ammeter:
• measures current (A) A
• connected in series I
(current must go through instrument)

V
Voltmeter:
• measures potential difference (V)
• connected in parallel a b

Ohmmeter:
• measures resistance of an isolated resistor 
(not in a working circuit)
 Effect of ammeter on circuit

Measuring current in a simple circuit: R

 connect ammeter in series

A
Are we measuring the correct current?
(the current in the circuit without ammeter)
V
 Effect of ammeter on circuit

Measuring current in a simple circuit: R

 connect ammeter in series

r
Are we measuring the correct current?
(the current in the circuit without ammeter)
V
 any ammeter has some resistance r.

V
I = is
 current in presence of ammeter .
R +r
 current without the ammeter wouldI =
V
be .
R
To minimize error, ammeter resistance r must be very small.
(ideal ammeter would have zero resistance)
Example: an ammeter of resistance 10 m is used to measure the current through a
10  resistor in series with a 3 V battery that has an internal resistance of 0.5 .
What is the relative (percent) error caused by the ammeter?

R=10 
Actual current without ammeter:

V
I=
R +r r=0.5 

3
I= A V=3 V
10 + 0.5
You might see the symbol  used
instead of V.

I = 0.2857 A = 285.7 mA
 Current with ammeter:

V
I=
R +r +R A

3 R=10 
I= A
10 +0.5+ 0.01

I = 0.2854 A = 285.4 mA RA
r=0.5 

0.2857 - 0.2854
% Error =  100 V=3 V
0.2857

% Error = 0.1 %
 Designing an ammeter

Galvanometer:
 current flows through a coil in a magnetic field
 coil experiences a torque, connected needle deflects
(see later chapters of this class)

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/galvan.html#c1
 Designing an ammeter

 ammeter can be based on galvanometer

(for electronic instrument, use electronic sensor instead, analysis still applies)

• simplest case: send current directly through galvanometer, observe deflection of

needle

Needle deflection is proportional to current. Each

galvanometer has a certain maximum current
corresponding to full needle deflection.

What if you need to measure a larger current?

• use shunt resistor

 Ammeter uses a galvanometer and a shunt, connected in parallel:

galvanometer
RG
G
IG
A  A
RSHUNT
B
I
I
ISHUNT

Everything inside the green box is the ammeter.

• Current I gets split into Ishunt and IG

Homework hint:
If your galvanometer reads 1A full scale but you want the ammeter to read 5A
full scale, then RSHUNT must result in IG=1A when I=5A. What are ISHUNT and
VSHUNT?
 RG
G
IG
A B
I RSHUNT

ISHUNT

Shunt also reduces resistance of the ammeter:

1 1 1
 
R A R G R SHUNT

R G R SHUNT
RA 
R G  R SHUNT
 A galvanometer-based
Example: ammeterisuses
what shunt resistance a galvanometer
required and atoshunt,
for an ammeter have connected
a resistanceinof
parallel: resistance is 60 ?
10 m, if the galvanometer

RG
1 1 1 G
 
R A RG RS IG
RS
I
1 1 1
 
RS R A RG IS

R G R A  60   .01
RS    0.010 
R G -R A 60 -.01 (actually 0.010002 )

To achieve such a small resistance, the shunt is probably a large-diameter wire or

solid piece of metal.
 Electrical Safety

Describe and explain how a fuse works as safety

device.

Describe and explain how a circuit breaker works as a

safety device.

Explain why electrical items need to be earthed.

 Fuses
Using the circuit symbol for a
fuse, guess what the internal
structure of a fuse is?
Fuses contain a thin metal wire
How is this a safety feature?

What would happen if a large current was to pass through the fuse?
How is this a safety feature? A current that is too large for the
fuse would cause the wire in the fuse to melt and break, thereby
breaking the circuit. Current would no longer be able to flow
through the appliance
 Fuses
Fuses indicate that something is wrong and prevent the
appliance from being used unsafely.

They have to be replaced and the cause of the

larger current identified
 Circuit Breakers
The electrical wiring in a building must be protected from
being overloaded so that it does not overheat.
This is the job of a ‘fuse box’, which used to contain fuse
wire but now contains circuit breakers to protect the wiring.

A house has several

circuits and each one is
protected by a separate
circuit breaker.
 Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers do the same job as fuses but they are
electromagnetic switches which are easy to reset.

Circuit breakers have different ratings as shown by

the coloured dots.
 Circuit Breakers
Each circuit breaker is an electromagnetic switch which
is designed to break the circuit when the current gets too high.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize
/science/edexcel_pre_2011/electricityworl
d/mainselectricityrev3.shtml

The current creates an electromagnet when coiled around a core of

soft iron
As the current increases, the stronger the electromagnet becomes.
Until it is strong enough to open the switch (circuit breaker).
This breaks the circuit and stops a dangerous current from flowing
It can be easily reset.
 RCCD
Residual Current Circuit Device
(Sometimes just referred to as RCD)
These are the devices on the plug RCCDs detect if there is a
sockets in the physics lab. You difference between the
might also find them in plug current flowing in the live
sockets in garages or out-buildings. and neutral wire. If there is,
then there is a fault and the
RCCD will “trip” and break
the circuit.
 Earthing
Earthing is a process used to increase the safety of
electrical appliances.
Cables contain an earth wire to
provide an alternative path for
current if appliances develop
faults.

An earth wire is essential for an

appliance with a metal case.
 Earthing
When an appliance is working correctly, no electricity
flows through the earth wire.

If the live wire becomes

loose and touches the
metal case, a very large
current flows to earth and
breaks the fuse, breaking
the circuit.
 Electrical Safety
Another way of improving the safety of electrical appliances is to
make them double insulated.

Double insulated appliances have plastic

cases, without any wires connected to
the case.
This means that the case cannot become
live, because plastic does not conduct
electricity.

So, if one layer of insulation is damaged the

appliance is still safe for the user.