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SERIES AND PARALLEL CIRCUITS

Understanding Physics Concepts
Circle the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

1. If four electric devices are connected in a series circuit, the number of current paths is equal
to ____ .
a. one c. three
b. two d. four
2. As power is supplied to a circuit, ____ the circuit.
a. resistance changes in c. voltage divides in
b. charges flow through d. power escapes through
3. A series circuit contains four resistors. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit?
a. 4R c. R/4
b. R1  R2  R3  R4 d. (R1  R2  R3  R4)/4
4. A series circuit has a 120-V generator, but requires a source that provides a potential difference
of only 60 V. To achieve the desired potential difference, a ____ can be used.
a. photoresistor c. voltage divider
b. sensor d. semiconductor
5. If three resistors are connected in parallel, there are ____ current paths in the circuit.
a. one c. three
b. two d. four
6. In an electric circuit, ____ are switches that act as safety devices.
a. fuses and circuit breakers c. ammeters
b. fuses and voltage dividers d. combined circuits

For each statement below, write true or false.

________ 7. To measure the current through a resistor, an ammeter should be connected in

series with the resistor.
________ 8. The equivalent resistance of a parallel circuit is always less than the resistance of
any resistor in the circuit.
________ 9. A voltmeter should have a very low resistance so that it causes the largest
possible changes in currents and potential differences in the circuit.

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________ 10. The resistance of an ammeter should be as low as possible.

________ 11. To measure the potential difference across a resistor, connect a voltmeter in
parallel with the resistor.
For each description on the left, write the letter of the matching item.
________ 12 the unit that describes the potential difference that a. ammeter
. comes out of a battery or generator
b current
________ V/R . ohm
13 c.
________ the instrument that measures current parallel
.
d resistors
________ 14 the depiction of lightbulbs or heating elements in a .
circuit diagram fuse
. e
________ the unit that measures the number of volts per ampere . series
15
f. volt
________ . the type of circuit in which the equivalent resistance is
the sum of the resistances of each resistor g.
________ 16 a safety device that stops current through a circuit h
. .
________ a circuit in which there are several current paths
17
.

18
.
19
.

Write the term that correctly completes the statement.

20. ________________________ The increase in electric potential provided by the generator or

other energy source is equal to the sum of the ____ across the
lamps in the circuit.
21. ________________________ The current produced in a given circuit hooked up to a given
potential difference depends on the ____ of that circuit.
22. ________________________ In a parallel electric circuit, the potential difference across each
path is ____ .
23. ________________________ In a parallel circuit, the ____ of the total resistance is the sum of
the reciprocals of the individual resistances.
24. ________________________ Current is represented by the symbol ____ .
25. ________________________ A ____ can measure the potential difference across a lightbulb.
26. ________________________ Current can only travel in a ____ circuit—one in which all of the
switches are closed.
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27. ________________________ In a parallel circuit, the total current is the ____ of the currents
through each path.
28. ________________________ In a parallel circuit, ____ enable a user to turn on some of the
electric devices and not others.

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29. ________________________ A ____ , provided by a battery or a generator, is needed for a

flow of charge to exist.
30. ________________________ To measure the potential drop across a resistor, a voltmeter is
connected in ____ with the resistor.
Thinking Critically
Answer the following questions. Use complete sentences.

1. What happens to resistance when a resistor is added in parallel to a circuit that already has two
resistors?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. How is it possible to turn devices on and off independently of each other in a
house?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What would happen to the current in a circuit if a voltmeter were substituted for an ammeter?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

4. Why is a ground-fault interrupter often required by law for electric outlets in bathrooms and
kitchens, but not in other rooms in a house?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

5. Why does turning on additional appliances on the same circuit breaker increase the current
through that circuit breaker?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

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6. What happens to the current through the power supply when you connect more devices in
series?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

7. What happens to the current through the power supply when you connect more devices in
parallel?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

8. What happens to a series current if one device fails?

____________________________________________________________________________________

9. Two lamps are connected in parallel. If there are 6 V across one lamp, must there also be 6 V
across the other lamp? Explain.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

10. What happens in a parallel circuit when a new device is added?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

11. Household circuits are normally wired in parallel.

a. What would happen in a household if it were wired in series and one device failed?
________________________________________________________________________________
_
________________________________________________________________________________
_

b. What would happen in that same household when additional devices were turned on?
________________________________________________________________________________
_
________________________________________________________________________________
_

12. Why are voltmeters designed to have a very high resistance?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 23  Series and Parallel Circuits

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____________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 23  Series and Parallel Circuits

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Applying Physics Knowledge

Answer the following questions. Show your calculations.

1. Two resistors of 3.0  and 8.0  are connected in series across a 9.0-V battery.
a. Draw a schematic diagram.

b. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit?

c. What is the current through the 3.0- resistor?

d. What is the current through the 8.0- resistor?

e. What is the potential difference across each resistor?

2. A 15- bell and an 8.0- lamp are connected in parallel and placed across a potential difference
of 42 V.
a. Draw a schematic diagram.

b. What is the equivalent resistance of the circuit?

c. What is the current in the circuit?

d. What is the current through each resistor?

e. What is the potential difference across each resistor?

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Refer to the diagram below to answer questions 3–4. Show your calculations.

3. Find the reading of each ammeter and each voltmeter.

a. What is the total current?

b. What is the potential difference across the 20- resistor?

c. What is the potential difference across the 16- resistor?

d. What is the potential difference across each 8- resistor?

e. What is the current at the branch measured by ammeter 1?

4. What is the power in watts used by each resistance in Question 3?

a. the 20.0- resistor

b. the 16.0- resistor

c. the 8.0- resistor

Chapter 23  Series and Parallel Circuits

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