Combination Circuits – Part 2

By: Stephen L. Herman

• Find the missing electrical values in the following circuit.
• The first step is to trace the current path through
the circuit to determine which components are in
series and which are in parallel.
• The next step is begin simplifying the circuit by
combining resistance values into one resistor.
– This is generally accomplished by starting with the components
that are the greatest distance from the power supply.
– Here, resistors R6 and R7 are in series with each other because
there is only one path for current flow through them.
Since resistors R6 and R7 are connected in series with each
other, the total resistance can be determined by adding their
resistance values together.
R C (6& 7)  R 6  R 7 R C (6& 7)  40  60 R C 6 & 7   1 0 0 
• Note that current path now splits between
resistors RC (6&7) and R5.
• Since there is more than one path for current
flow between these two resistors, they are in
parallel with each other.
• Resistors R5 and RC(6&7) can be combined into
one resistor by calculating their total resistance.

1 1
R C ( 5,6 & 7 )  R C ( 5 ,6 & 7 )  R C ( 5 , 6 & 7 )  60 
1 1 1 1
 
R5 R C (6& 7) 1 50 10 0
• The current path is also divided between
resistors R2 and R3, indicating that these
resistors are connected in parallel.
• They can be combined into one resistor by
determining their total resistance value.

R2  R3 2 00  30 0
R C (2 & 3)  R C (2 & 3)  R C ( 2 & 3 )  12 0 
R2  R3 20 0  3 00
 • There is now only one path for current flow.
• The circuit has been reduced to a simple series
circuit.
• The total circuit resistance can be calculated by
adding all the resistance values together.
R T  R 1  R C ( 2 & 3 )  R 4  R C ( 5 ,6 & 7 ) RT  80  120  140  60 RT  400 
• Now that the total resistance and applied voltage
are known, the total current and total power
dissipation for the circuit can be determined using
Ohm’s Law.
ET 50
IT  IT  I T  0 .1 2 5 A
RT 400
ET2 50  50
PT  PT  PT  6 .2 5 W
RT 4 00
• Now that the total electrical values are known,
work back through the circuit.
• One of the rules for series circuit states that the
current is the same throughout the entire circuit.
– Therefore, a current of 0.125 amperes flows through
each resistor.
• The voltage drop across resistor R1 and the
power dissipation can now be determined using
Ohm’s Law.

E 1  I 1  R1 E 1  0 .1 2 5  8 0 E 1  10V
2 2
P1  I 1  R 1 R 1  0 .1 2 5  8 0 P1  1.2 5 W
• The voltage drop across resistor RC(2&3) and the
power dissipation can also be determined using
Ohm’s Law.
E C ( 2 & 3)  I C ( 2 & 3)  R C ( 2 & 3) E C ( 2 & 3 )  0 .1 2 5  1 20 E C ( 2 & 3)  1 5V
PC ( 2 & 3 )  I C ( 2 & 3 ) 2  R C ( 2 & 3 ) PC ( 2 & 3 )  0 .1 25 2  1 2 0 PC ( 2 & 3 )  1.8 7 5 W
• Determine the voltage drop and power dissipation
for resistor R4 using Ohm’s Law.

E 4  I4  R4 E 4  0 .1 2 5  1 4 0 E 4  1 7 .5 V
P4  E 4  I 4 P4  1 7 .5  0 .1 2 5 P4  2 .1 8 7 5 W
• Determine the voltage drop and power dissipation
for combination resistor RC(5,6&7) using Ohm’s Law.

E C (5,6 & 7 )  I C (5,6 & 7 )  R C ( 5,6 & 7 ) E C ( 5 , 6 & 7 )  0 .12 5  6 0 E C ( 5 , 6 & 7 )  7 .5 V

PC ( 5 , 6 & 7 )  I C ( 5 , 6 & 7 ) 2  R C ( 5 , 6 & 7 ) PC ( 5 , 6 & 7 )  0 .12 5 2  6 0 PC ( 5 , 6 & 7 )  0 .9 3 7 5 W
• Combination resistor RC(5,6&7) is formed from the
two parallel resistors R5 and RC(6&7).
• In a parallel circuit, the voltage drop is the same
across all branches of the circuit.
• Therefore, the voltage drop is the same across
resistors R5 and RC(6&7).
• The current flowing through resistor R5 and the
power dissipation can now be determined using
Ohm’s Law.
E5 7 .5
I5  I5  I 5  0 .0 5 A
R5 150
P5  E 5  I 5 P5  7 .5  0 .0 5 P5  0 .3 7 5 W
• The voltage drop and power dissipation for
combination resistor RC(6&7) can now be
determined using Ohm’s Law.

E C (6& 7) 7 .5
I C (6& 7)  I C (6& 7)  I C ( 6 & 7 )  0 .0 7 5 A
R C (6& 7) 100
PC ( 6 & 7 )  E C ( 6 & 7 )  I C ( 6 & 7 ) PC ( 6 & 7 )  7 .5  0 .0 7 5 W PC ( 6 & 7 )  0 .5 6 2 5 W
• Combination resistor RC(6&7) is formed from series
connected resistors R6 and R7.
• In a series circuit, the current flow is the same
throughout the entire circuit.
• The current flowing through resistor RC(6&7) flows
through resistors R6 and R7.
• The voltage drop and power dissipation for
resistor R6 can now be determined using Ohm’s
Law.
E 6  I 6  R6 E 6  0 .0 7 5  6 0 E 6  4 .5 V
P6  I 6 2  R 6 P6  0 .0 7 5 2  6 0 P6  0 .3 3 7 5 W
• The voltage drop and power dissipation for
resistor R7 can now be calculated using Ohm’s
Law.

E 7  I 7  R7 E 7  0 .0 7 5  4 0 E 7  3V
P7  E 7  I 7 P7  3  0 .0 7 5 P7  0 .2 2 5 W
• Combination resistor RC(2&3) was formed by finding
the total value of parallel resistors R2 and R3.
• In a parallel circuit, the voltage is the same across
each branch of the circuit.
– Therefore, the voltage drop across resistor RC(2&3) will be
the same across resistors R2 and R3.
• The amount of current flow through resistor R2
and the power dissipation can now be determined
using Ohm’s Law.
E2 15
I2  I2  I 2  0 .0 7 5 A
R2 200
P2  E 2  I 2 P2  1 5  0 .07 5 P2  1.1 2 5 W
• The amount of current flow through resistor R3
and the power dissipation can also be determined
using Ohm’s Law.
E3 15
I3  I3  I 3  0 .0 5 A
R3 300
P3  I 3 2  R 3 P3  0 .0 5 2  3 0 0 P3  0 .7 5 W
 Checking the Circuit
• The electrical values can be checked in any type of circuit by
adding all the values of power for each individual resistor
and comparing the sum to the total power value determined
using Ohm’s Law.
PT  6 .2 5 W  D eter m in ed u sin g O h m ' s L aw 
PT  1.2 5  1.1 2 5  0 .7 5  2 .1 8 7 5  0 .3 75  0 .3 3 7 5  0 .2 2 5
PT  6 .2 5 W  D eter m in ed by adding pow er values 
End of Presentation