SIMPLE SERIES AND PARALLEL

CIRCUITS

SciencePoint
 DO NOW!! (3 MINS)

Series or parallel?
1. Would it be better to
have the lights on a
Christmas tree in
series or parallel?
Why?

2. Are the lights in your

house connected up
in series or parallel?
How can you tell?
Starter: Identify the Symbol

voltmeter bulb open switch

closed switch battery ammeter

Match the circuit symbols

L.O. 1– Know what is meant by electrical circuit

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 SIMPLE SERIES AND PARALLEL
CIRCUITS

HOW CAN WE CONNECT COMPONENTS IN ELECTRIC CIRCUITS?

Know what is meant by electrical circuit (Grade C)
Identify and distinguish between series and parallel circuits. (Grade B)
State advantages and disadvantages of series and parallel circuits.(Grade A/A*)
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Know what is meant by electrical circuit. (Grade
C)

• Identify and distinguish between series and

parallel circuits. (Grade B)

• Explain how currents and voltages differ in series

and parallel circuits. (Grade A/A*)
 KEYWORDS
What are the keywords for this lesson?

circuit voltmeter
series
parallel
voltage
electric current
ammeter
Know what is meant by electrical circuit (Grade C)
Identify and distinguish between series and parallel circuits. (Grade B)
State advantages and disadvantages of series and parallel circuits.(Grade A/A*)
 SUCCESS CRITERIA
Grade Objectives Example   
     
Define electric circuit and list
Know what is meant by
D electrical circuit.
some components of an electric
circuit.

How are lamps connected in      

Identify and distinguish series and parallel circuits.
C/B between series and Draw circuit diagrams to
parallel circuits. show this.

Explain how currents and      

voltages differ in series and Distinguish between series
parallel circuits. and parallel circuits in terms
A / A* of how voltages and
currents are shared in them.

Know what is meant by electrical circuit (Grade C)

Identify and distinguish between series and parallel circuits. (Grade B)
State advantages and disadvantages of series and parallel circuits.(Grade A/A*)
.
 L.O. 1
Know what is meant by electrical
circuit.
 PUT ON YOUR THINKING CAP
What 2 things do you think are needed for
current to flow? _________________.

Something to make the electricity flow - battery or

power pack

A complete path for the current to flow in.

 What is an electrical circuit?

 An electrical circuit is a pathway

through which electric current flows.

 The pathway is made up of conductors,

circuit components and a source of
electrical energy.

 There are two types of electrical

circuits – series and parallel circuits.
L.O. 1– Know what is meant by electrical circuit
A SIMPLE
ELECTRICAL
CIRCUIT BULB

WIRE

BATTERY
SWITCH
A SIMPLE
ELECTRICAL
CIRCUIT BULB

WIRE

BATTERY
SWITCH
 AFL 1
• I know what is meant by
electrical circuit

GREEN? YELLOW? RED?

Know what is meant by electrical circuit (Grade C)

Identify and distinguish between series and parallel circuits. (Grade B)
Explain how currents and voltages differ in series and parallel circuits. (Grade A/A*)
 L.O. 2
Identify and distinguish between
series and parallel circuits.
What is a series circuit?

This is a simple series circuit.

In a simple series circuit, everything is connected

in one loop across the terminals of the battery.
There are no points where the current can split
or join.

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Measuring current
The unit of measurement for current is the amp, which
has the symbol A.

Current is measured
using a device called
an ammeter.

The ammeter is always connected in series (in the same

loop) with that component.

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Current in a series circuit: summary

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Cells in a series circuit: summary

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Series circuits – key ideas
1. In a series circuit the current
is the same in all parts of the
circuit. Series circuits are
found in torches and strings
of Christmas lights.

2. The supply voltage is shared

between the components
in a series circuit. (The sum
of the voltage across each
component is the same as
the total supply voltage.)

3. The current depends on the voltage in any circuit.

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Series circuits: summary

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 Parallel Circuits
1. What happens
when you switch on
switch number 1?
1. 2. What happens
when you switch on
switch number 2?
3. What happens
when you switch
2. them both on?
 How current flows in parallel circuits.
Oh! It’s nice to be
together again after a
day of work!
Let’s have some
dinner!

Oops!!!

See you
later, I’m
Hello my Hello going to
dear! love! work!

Bye! I’m going

too!
What is a parallel circuit?
A parallel circuit is one that contains a point (a junction)
where the current can split (point A) or join (point B).
This means that there is more than one path around the
circuit.

A B

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 Parallel circuits
10/30/2021

A parallel circuit is one where the current has a “choice of routes”:

 Current in a parallel circuit
10/30/2021

A PARALLEL circuit is one where the current has a “choice of routes”

Here comes the current…

Half of the current will go

down here (assuming the
bulbs are the same)…

And the rest will go down

here…
 Current in a parallel circuit
10/30/2021

If the current
here is 6 amps
And the current
here will be…

The current here

will be…

The current here

The current here will be…
will be…
Modelling parallel circuits

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Current in a parallel circuit
The current splits up at the first junction and then joins
together at the second junction.

The following is
always true for this
type of parallel circuit:

A1 = (A2 + A3) = A4

If the bulbs are identical,

then the current will split
evenly. If the bulbs are not
identical, then the current
will not split evenly.

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Parallel circuits – key ideas
1. In a parallel circuit the
voltage is the same across all
branches of the circuit.
Parallel circuits are found in
household lighting circuits.

2. The supply current is shared

into the branches in a
parallel circuit. (The sum of
the current in the branches is
the same as the total supply
current.)

3. The current depends on the resistance in any circuit.

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SUMMARY
Series and parallel circuits: summary

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 AFL 2
• I can identify and distinguish
between series and parallel
circuits
GREEN? YELLOW? RED?

Know what is meant by electrical circuit (Grade C)

Identify and distinguish between series and parallel circuits. (Grade B)
State advantages and disadvantages of series and parallel circuits.(Grade A/A*)
 L.O. 3
State advantages and
disadvantages of series and
parallel circuits
 Advantages of parallel circuits…
10/30/2021

There are two main reasons why parallel circuits are

used more commonly than series circuits:

1) Extra appliances (like bulbs) can be added without

affecting the output of the others

2) If one appliance breaks it won’t affect the others

either
Advantages
of Series
connection

1) One path way for current to

flow.
2) Same current flow in all the
components in its path.
3) Voltage depends on the
resistance of each component
Disadvantages
of Series
connection

1) When a component goes out,

all other will go out (off).
2) Different voltages. This
depends on the resistance of
each components have.
3) Total resistance is higher
most times.
Advantages of
Parallel
connection.

1) Same voltage flows in each

path.
2) Current in each path can be
altered (changed) according to
need.
3) When one path is faulty,
others will still work.
Disadvantages
of Parallel
connection.

1) More wires needed to make

the circuit.
2) Power source drains quickly as
more components are added.
3) Voltage across each path can
hardly be changed.
Hinge Questions
Hinge Questions
 REVIEW YOUR LEARNING
• Know what is meant by electrical circuit. (Grade
C)

• Identify and distinguish between series and

parallel circuits. (Grade B)

• State advantages and disadvantages of series and

parallel circuits. (Grade A/A*)
 Homework – Due next lesson
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