5 Parallel Circuits

EEE 1201: Electrical Circuits - 1 (DC)
Parallel Circuit
Course Teacher: Nafiz Ahmed Chisty
Head, Department of EEE

Associate Professor, Department of EEE & CoE
Faculty of Engineering
Room# D0105, D Building
Email: chisty@aiub.edu
Website: http://engg.aiub.edu/faculties/nafiz
Website: www.nachisty.com
Nafiz A. Chisty| Head, Dept of EEE; Associate Professor, Dept. of EEE & CoE, FE| chisty@aiub.edu
Objectives
Nafiz A. Chisty| Head, Dept of EEE; Associate Professor, Dept. of EEE & CoE, FE
❑Become familiar with the characteristics of a parallel network and how

to solve for the voltage, current, and power to each element.
❑Develop a clear understanding of Kirchhoff’s current law and its

importance to the analysis of electric circuits.
❑Become aware of how the source current will split between parallel
elements and how to properly apply the current divider rule.
❑Clearly understand the impact of open and short circuits on the

behavior of a network.
❑Learn how to use an ohmmeter, voltmeter, and ammeter to measure

the important parameters of a parallel network.
Parallel resistors
❑ Two elements, branches, or circuits are in parallel if they have two points
in common as in the figure below:
PARALLEL RESISTORS
❑ For parallel elements, the total conductance is the sum of the individual
conductance values.
GT = G1 + G2 + G3 + ... + GN
❑ For resistors in parallel, the total resistance is determined from
1
RT =
1 1 1 1
+ + + ... +
R1 R2 R3 RN
Nafiz A. Chisty| Head, Dept of EEE; Associate Professor, Dept. of EEE & CoE, FE Nafiz A. Chisty| Head, Dept of EEE; Associate Professor, Dept. of EEE & CoE, FE| chisty@aiub.edu
Special Case: Two Parallel Resistors
Special Case: Three Parallel Resistors

Parallel resistors
❑ As the number of resistors in parallel increases, the input current level will
increase for the same applied voltage.
❑ This is the opposite effect of increasing the number of resistors in a series

circuit.
❑ The total resistance of parallel resistors is always less than the value of the
smallest resistor.
❑ For equal resistors in parallel:
•Where N = the number of parallel resistors.

Interchanging Parallel Resistors

❑ Parallel resistors can be interchanged without affecting the total resistance. For
parallel resistors, the total resistance will always decrease as additional parallel
elements are added.
PARALLEL CIRCUITS
❑ If two elements are in parallel, the voltage across them must be the same.
V1 = V2 = E
1 1 1
= +
RT R1 R2 E E E
= +
RT R1 R2
 1  1 1 
E   = E  + 
 RT   R1 R2 
I s = I1 + I 2
PARALLEL CIRCUITS
❑ EXAMPLE 6.12: For the parallel network

in Fig. 6.22:
a. Find the total resistance.
b. Calculate the source current.
c. Determine the current through each
parallel branch.
d. Determine the power to each resistive
load.
PARALLEL CIRCUITS
EXAMPLE 6.14: For Fig. 6.24.

a. Determine R3.
b. Find the applied voltage E.
c. Find the source current Is.
d. Find I2.
Ans: a. 10 Ω.
b. 40 V.
c. 10 A.
d. 2 A.
Power Distribution in a Parallel Circuit

❑ For any resistive circuit, the power applied by the battery will equal that
dissipated by the resistive elements.
PE = PR1 + PR2 + PR3 + ... + PRN

❑ The power relationship for parallel resistive circuits is identical to that for
series resistive circuits.
❑ In a parallel resistive network, the larger the resistor, the less the power
absorbed.
❑ See Example 6.15.

KIRCHHOFF’S CURRENT LAW (KCL)

❑ Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL) states that the algebraic sum of the
currents entering and leaving an area, system, or junction is zero.
❑ The sum of the current entering an area, system or junction
must equal the sum of the current leaving the area, system, or
junction.
෍ 𝐼𝑖𝑛 = ෍ 𝐼𝑜𝑢𝑡
KCL examples
KCL examples
VOLTAGE SOURCES IN PARALLEL

❑ Voltage sources are placed in parallel only if they have the same voltage
rating.
❑The purpose for placing two or more batteries in parallel is to
increase the current rating.
VOLTAGE SOURCES IN PARALLEL

❑ The formula to determine the total current is:
E1 − E 2
I=
Rint1 + Rint 2
𝟏𝟐 − 𝟔 𝟔
𝑰= =
𝟎. 𝟎𝟑 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐 𝟎. 𝟎𝟓
=120A
❑ When two batteries of different terminal voltages are placed in parallel,
the larger battery tries to drop rapidly to the lower supply
❑ The result is the larger battery quickly discharges to the lower voltage
battery, causing the damage to both batteries
Current Divider Rule (CDR)

❑ The current divider rule (CDR) is used to find the current through a
resistor in a parallel circuit.
❑ General points:
❑For two parallel elements of equal value, the current will divide
equally.
❑For parallel elements with different values, the smaller the

resistance, the greater the share of input current.
❑For parallel elements of different values, the current will split with a
ratio equal to the inverse of their resistor values.

Ix
Rx
IT =
V
RT  IT
RT Ix =
Rx
V = I1 R1 = I 2 R2 = I 3 R3 = .... = I x Rx
RTparallel  ITparallel
Ix =
I x Rx
IT =
RT Rx
Special Case: Two Parallel Resistors

RT  IT
Ix =
Rx
R1 R2
Putting: RT =
R1 + R2
 R1 R2 
 
RT  R1 + R2 
I1 = IT = IT
R1 R1
We get:
 R2 
I1 =   I T
 R1 + R2 
We won’t use this shortcut formula. We shall use:
 R1 
I 2 = 
RTparallel  ITparallel
 I T
 R1 + R2  Ix =
Rx
CDR Examples
Is I1
Is Is I1 I3
R1 Is
I1 I2 I2 I3 R1 R3
I2 I4 I5
E R1 R2 R2 R3 R2 R4 R5
RTotal = R1||R2 RTotal = (R2||R3) + R1 RTotal = {[(R4||R5) + R3]|| R2}+ R1
IS = E/RTotal IS = E/RTotal IS = E/RTotal
Using CDR: Using CDR: Using CDR:

RTparallel  ITparallel RTparallel  ITparallel RTparallel  ITparallel
Ix = Ix = Ix =
Rx Rx Rx
𝑹𝟏||𝑹𝟐 × 𝑰𝑺 𝑹𝟐||𝑹𝟑 × 𝑰𝟏 𝑹𝟒||𝑹𝟓 × 𝑰𝟑
𝑰𝟏 = 𝑰𝟐 = 𝑰𝟒 =
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟒
EXAMPLE:
I1
Is R1
Write the formula for I2
i) I2,
R2
ii) I3, I5
iii) I5
R5
Solution: E I3 I4
R3 R4
[(𝑹𝟑| 𝑹𝟒 + 𝑹𝟐]||𝑹𝟓 × 𝑰𝟏
𝑰𝟐 =
(𝑹𝟑| 𝑹𝟒 + 𝑹𝟐
𝑹𝟑||𝑹𝟒 × 𝑰𝟐
𝑰𝟑 =
𝑹𝟑
[(𝑹𝟑| 𝑹𝟒 + 𝑹𝟐]||𝑹𝟓 × 𝑰𝟏
𝑰𝟓 =
𝑹𝟓

❑ EXAMPLE 6.21:
a. Determine currents I1 and I3 for the network in Fig. 6.40.
b. Find the source current Is.
Ans:
a. 1 mA, 6 mA.
b. 9 mA.
❑ EXAMPLE 6.22: For the parallel network in Fig. 6.42, determine current I1 using
Eq. (6.14).
Ans: 10.48 mA.

OPEN CIRCUITS
❑ An open circuit can have a potential difference (voltage) across its

terminal, but the current is always zero amperes.
OPEN CIRCUITS
❑ EXAMPLE 6.25: Determine voltage Vab for the network below.

Ans:
Using KVL:
+E – IR1 – IR2 – Vab = 0
20 V – 0 – 0 - Vab = 0
Vab = 20 V
❑EXAMPLE 6.26: Determine voltages Vab and Vcd for the network below.
Ans:
In the first loop: In the second loop:
Using KVL: Using KVL:
+E – IR1 –Vab = 0 +E – IR1 –30 – Vcd – IR2 = 0
10 V – 0 – Vab = 0 10 V – 0 – 30 - Vcd - 0= 0
Vab = 10 V Vcd = -20 V
SHORT CIRCUITS
❑ A short circuit can carry a current of a level determined by the external

circuit, but the potential difference (voltage) across its terminals is always
zero volts.
Open and short circuits

❑ EXAMPLE 6.27: Determine the unknown voltage and current for each
network in Fig. 6.57.
❑ See Example 6.28.

APPLICATIONS
❑ Car system
❑The electrical system on a car is essentially a parallel
system.
❑ Parallel computer bus connections
❑The bus connectors are connected in parallel with
common connections to the power supply, address and
data buses, control signals, and ground.
❑ House wiring
❑Except in some very special circumstances the basic
wiring of a house is done in a parallel configuration.
❑Each parallel branch, however, can have a combination of
parallel and series elements.
❑Each branch receives a full 220V, with the current
determined by the applied load.
Reference
[1] Robert L. Boylestad, “Introductory Circuit Analysis”, 12th Edition, Prentice Hall Inc
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EEE 1201: Electrical Circuits - 1 (DC)

Course Teacher: Nafiz Ahmed Chisty

Head, Department of EEE

❑Become familiar with the characteristics of a parallel network and how

❑Develop a clear understanding of Kirchhoff’s current law and its

❑Clearly understand the impact of open and short circuits on the

❑Learn how to use an ohmmeter, voltmeter, and ammeter to measure

Special Case: Two Parallel Resistors

Special Case: Three Parallel Resistors

❑ This is the opposite effect of increasing the number of resistors in a series

❑ For equal resistors in parallel:

•Where N = the number of parallel resistors.

Interchanging Parallel Resistors

❑ EXAMPLE 6.12: For the parallel network

EXAMPLE 6.14: For Fig. 6.24.

Power Distribution in a Parallel Circuit

PE = PR1 + PR2 + PR3 + ... + PRN

❑ See Example 6.15.

KIRCHHOFF’S CURRENT LAW (KCL)

VOLTAGE SOURCES IN PARALLEL

VOLTAGE SOURCES IN PARALLEL

❑ The formula to determine the total current is:

Current Divider Rule (CDR)

❑For parallel elements with different values, the smaller the

Current Divider Rule (CDR)

Special Case: Two Parallel Resistors

RTotal = R1||R2 RTotal = (R2||R3) + R1 RTotal = {[(R4||R5) + R3]|| R2}+ R1

IS = E/RTotal IS = E/RTotal IS = E/RTotal

Using CDR: Using CDR: Using CDR:

Current Divider Rule (CDR)

Ans: 10.48 mA.

❑ An open circuit can have a potential difference (voltage) across its

❑ EXAMPLE 6.25: Determine voltage Vab for the network below.

❑ A short circuit can carry a current of a level determined by the external

Open and short circuits

❑ See Example 6.28.

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