Series and parallel circuits

What the syllabus asks of you

• Know that the current at every point in a series 8 Recall and use in calculations, the fact that: circuit is the same (a) the sum of the currents entering a junction in a parallel circuit is equal to the sum of the currents that leave the junction (b) the total p.d. across the components in a series circuit is equal to the sum of the individual p.d.s across each component (c) the p.d. across an arrangement of parallel resistances is the same as the p.d. across one branch in the arrangement of the parallel resistances
• Know how to construct and use series and parallel circuits
• Calculate the combined e.m.f. of several sources in series
• Calculate the combined resistance of two or more resistors in series
• State that, for a parallel circuit, the current from 9 Explain that the sum of the currents into a the source is larger than the current in each junction is the same as the sum of the currents branch out of the junction
• State that the combined resistance of two 10 Calculate the combined resistance of two resistors in parallel is less than that of either resistors in parallel resistor by itself
• State the advantages of connecting lamps in parallel in a lighting circuit