Faculty of Applied Science and Technology

ENGI12578: Electrical Fundamentals

Fall 2019

Series-Parallel Circuits

Dr. L. Khalid
 Parallel Circuits
• Elements connected in parallel will have the same voltage
across them.
• Current will be divided between parallel elements.

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 Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)
• Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL) states the following:
The summation of currents entering a node is equal to the
summation of currents leaving the node

I entering node  I leaving node

• KCL applies to all circuits but you must apply it to only

one node at a time.

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 Resistors in Parallel

• The total equivalent resistance of n parallel resistors:

1 1
RT  N

1 1 1 1

i 1 Ri

R1 R2

RN

• Interchanging parallel resistors does not affect the total

equivalent resistance.
• When combining parallel resistors, the resistance will
always be smaller than smallest resistor in the
combination.

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 Voltage Sources in Parallel

Voltage sources of different potentials should never be

connected in parallel – Why?

If two equal potential sources are

connected in parallel: each delivers
half the required circuit current

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 Series versus Parallel Connections

Series Connections Parallel Connections

• More resistors in series • More resistors in parallel→
→ more resistive → sum more conductive → sum of
of resistance. conductance.
• Current is the same in all • Voltage is the same across
elements all elements.
• More batteries in series: • More batteries (equal
higher voltage. potential) in parallel: higher
• One open element → ? currents
• One short element → ? • One open element → ?
• One short element → ?
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 Power in Parallel Circuits

• Power delivered by each voltage source

PT  EIT
• Power dissipated by each resistor

V2
Pn  VI n   I n2 RN
RN
• As in the series case, the total power is the sum of the
powers dissipated in each resistor.

PT  P1  P2    Pn

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 Example
For the circuit shown below, determine:
(a) The total resistance RT.
(b) The total current IT.
(c) Power delivered by the voltage source.
(d) The currents I1 and I2.

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 Resistors in Parallel

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 Series-Parallel Circuits
• In practical systems, circuits are typically arranged in
compound series – parallel configurations.

• To analyze a circuit: Recognize which elements are in

series and which elements or branches are in parallel.

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 Analysis of Series-Parallel Circuits
Rules to remember:
• Components that are connected in series will share a common
path
 The same current occurs through all series elements
• Components that are connected in parallel will be connected
across the same two nodes
 The same voltage occurs across all parallel elements
• KVL and KCL apply for all circuits (series, parallel and series
parallel)
 KVL is satisfied at each closed loop.
 KCL is satisfied at each node.
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 Analysis of Series-Parallel Circuits
• To simplify expressions of circuit combinations:

 parallel connection → //

 series connection → +

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 Analysis of Series-Parallel Circuits

• Equivalent circuit: a circuit that has characteristics that are

electrically the same as the original circuit but is generally
simpler.

Equivalent Circuit

RT=R1+R2+R3

I
Equivalent Circuit
T

RT=R1//R2//R3
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 Steps to Simply Circuit Analysis
• Indicate current directions and label correct polarities of
voltage drops on all components.

• Start elements combination from the most distant element

from the source to determine the equivalent resistance,
RT.
 Redraw the circuit as often as necessary
 Keep the same labels for corresponding nodes
• Solve for the total circuit current.
• Calculate how currents and voltages split between circuit
elements.
• Verify using KVL and KCL.
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 Example 1

Write an expression for the total equivalent resistance RT for the

circuits below

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 Example 2

Write an expression for the total equivalent resistance RT for the

circuit below

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 Example 3

Write an expression for the total equivalent resistance RT for the

circuit below

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 Example 4

For the circuit shown below, determine:

(a) The total resistance RT.
(b) The total current I1.
(c) V1, V2 and V3.
(d) I2 and I3

I1

+ V1 -
R1=1 kΩ
I2 I3
+ +
R2=3 kΩ V2 V3 R3=6 kΩ
E=12 V _ _

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 Example 5
For the circuit shown below, determine:
(a) The total resistance RT.
(b) The total current I1.
(c) Vb, Vba and Va.
(d) I2 and I3.

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 Solution

RT  R1  ( R4 / /( R2  R3 ))
RT1  ( R2  R3 )  10  50  60
RT2  R4 / /( RT1 )  30 / /60  20
RT  R1  RT2  10  20  30
E 18 V
I1    0.6A  600 mA
RT 30 
Vb (voltage across R 4 )  I1RT2  0.6 A  20 =12 V
Vb 12 V
I3    0.4A  400 mA Vba (voltage across R 2 )  I 2 R2  0.2 A 10 =2 V
R4 30 

I 2  I1  I 3  0.6 A  0.4 A  0.2A  200 mA

Vb 12 V
I2    0.2A  200 mA Va (voltage across R 3 )  I 2 R3  0.2 A  50 =10 V
RT1 60 
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 Power in Series-Parallel Circuits

• Power delivered by each voltage source

PT  EIT
• Power dissipated by each resistor

V2
Pn  VI n   I n2 RN
RN
• Similar to all circuits, the total power is the sum of
the powers dissipated in each resistor.

PT  P1  P2    Pn

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 Practice Problems
For the circuits shown, determine:
(a) The total resistance RT.
(b) The total current I.
(c) Calculate Vab and Vbc
(d) Calculate Va, Vb, Vc and Vd

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 Practice Problems
For the circuits shown, determine:
(a) The total resistance RT.
(b) The total current IT.
(c) Current in each resistor I1, I2 and I3.
(d) Verify Kirchhoff`s current law at node a.

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 Practice Problems
For the circuits shown, determine:
(a) The total resistance RT.
(b) The total current IT.
(c) Current in each resistor
(d) Verify Kirchhoff`s current law at node a.

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 Practice Problems
For the circuit below:
(a) Find the total resistance RT “seen” by the source.
(b) Determine the voltages Vb and Vbc.
(c) Calculate I1 and I2.

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 Homework

• Readings:
− Chapter 3, Section 3
− Chapter 4, Section 8
− Chapter 5, Section 9
− Chapter 6, Sections 1-4
•Problems:
− Chapter 3, Problems 27, 29
− Chapter 4, Problem 51
− Chapter 5, Problems 41, 43
− Chapter 6, Problems 1, 3, 9, 11, 15, 19

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