1. The current of a parallel circuit is ____________ between the paths that exist. The __________ of the current in each path is ______________ to the _____________ current in the whole circuit.
2. The ___________ of the potential difference (voltage) of the loads must _______________ to the _____________ voltage of the circuit (i.e. battery voltage).
3. The voltage of a parallel circuit is the _____________ at all points of the circuit.
1. The current of a parallel circuit is divided between the paths that exist. The sum of the current in each path is equal to the total current in the whole circuit.
To calculate the current in a parallel circuit, follow these steps:
- Determine the total resistance of the parallel circuit by adding the reciprocals of the individual resistances and taking the reciprocal of the sum.
- Use Ohm's law (I = V / R) to calculate the current flowing through each parallel path. The voltage (V) here refers to the total voltage of the circuit (which is the same for each parallel path), and the resistance (R) is the resistance of each individual path.
2. The potential difference (voltage) of the loads must be equal to the total voltage of the circuit (i.e., battery voltage).
To calculate the voltage in a parallel circuit, follow these steps:
- Ensure that all components in the parallel circuit are connected across the same voltage source (e.g., a battery).
- The potential difference across each load in a parallel circuit is the same and equal to the total voltage of the circuit (e.g., the battery voltage).
3. The voltage of a parallel circuit is the same at all points of the circuit.
In a parallel circuit, each component has the same potential difference (voltage) across it. This is because all components in a parallel circuit are connected directly across the same voltage source, such as a battery. Thus, the voltage remains constant throughout the parallel circuit, regardless of the individual component's resistance or current.